As perfectionists, we tend to be workaholics, checking our Blackberrys at night and spending our vacations tethered to our phone worried that something might happen. It feels impossible to separate from this world, but often the pressure that we feel from tasks on our to-do list have been placed on ourselves.
We spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer. We want to clear our heads or make ourselves numb from the day, so we spend another two to three hours watching TV or playing a game on our phone. We realize that almost half of our day has been given to the world of Microsoft Outlook, Candy Crush Saga, and Desperate Housewives.
Learn to unplug.
If your work can support it, take a digital sabbatical. However, for those of us that can’t take long periods of time away from a computer or phone, set some realistic limits for yourself.
Stop eating your lunch at your desk. Close the 25 draft emails and 57 tabs open in your browser, and focus on one task at a time. Put your phone on silent when you’re working on a task as you can always call the person back. Work in 30-45 minute increments. Take some breaks in the middle of your workday to take a 10-15 minute walk outside.
The task can usually wait. It’s you who can’t.
Feature Image Source: mcc.us
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