It’s no secret that in today’s world, we’re connected 24/7 and even when we leave work, we haven’t really left. We have our cell phones, our work cell phone, our laptops & our work laptops and we’re constantly working or thinking about work, be it on the weekday evenings or on the weekend. The results? Plain and simple: mental checkout (can I get a hollar ladies?) Here are a few things to outline the importance of decompressing after work.
When you’re working round the clock, your brain simply gets tired. You start making mistakes, you slow down & miss deadlines, and to be honest, you also start hating that “dream job”. When you get to this state, you need a reset, which usually comes in the form of a vacation. And when I say the word v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n (reapeat after me…), I mean: no work phone, no work laptop, no emails – 0 contact with the office world! You need your mind to focus on something completely different so that it can rest, and you can return to work with batteries fully charged. However, there are things that can be done on a daily basis before you hit this wall. Let me ask you, what do you love to do that numbs your mind into oblivion? Of course you probably know that as women, we’re not capable of thinking of nothing, as our brains are contantly running overtime in the backgroud. However, there are things in our lives we can do to get close to the notion of “nothingness”. I love to read, so by reading a fun book (completely unrealated to work), I transport my mind to another world, one that is not my own. I must confess I also love to watch TV, especially certain TV series like Friends (on repeat). It helps me numb my mind, think of nothing (or about Ross’ dillema over Rachel), and sometimes I also use it as a sleeping pill ;)
This rule should also be followed on the weekend! Brunch anyone? Mimosas with friends, shopping, working out – whatever the case maybe, disconnecting over the weekend is equally important. This doesn’t mean you cannot sneak the occasional glance at the work cell to check the world has not ended, but the bulk of your weekend should be spent on things you love to do, or even regular weekly chores that need to be done. This way, when you get back on Monday morning, you won’t stare your screen and wonder “what have I become”? On that note, stay tuned for another post coming up very soon: How to reduce the stress of the week!
Kisses,
WCX