Life is stressful. Whether it’s work, lack of work, friends, family, or being in line at the DMV, stress is an inescapable part of daily life. There are some days when things are harder to deal with. Sometimes you are faced with a normal day but the things that have been on your mind weigh more heavily than usual. When you get to this place it can be hard to be productive.
Today I had a stressful day at work, and when I got home and started applying to jobs like I do every evening, I found it hard to focus. Instead of rewriting my cover letter I found myself thinking about my day and the fact that I haven’t had any job prospects in about a week. That’s when I put my computer down and turned off my phone.
When I get to that place I need to unplug and take some time for myself. In college I used to feel guilty about taking an hour or two to watch TV, read a magazine or sit under a tree somewhere. This is time I could be using to be productive and counteract the stress I’m feeling. I finally realized forcing yourself to work when you’re not focused leads to mistakes and inevitably more stress. If taking time off leads to productivity later, it’s worth it.
I realize you can’t take time off work during the day if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, but taking a walk at lunch or even around the office can help reduce the worry until you can get home and do whatever relaxes you. For me, it’s a TV show or movie and a delicious dinner. I also like to turn my phone off for awhile to really focus on myself.
This isn’t something I need to do every day or even every week but everyone needs a reset, even if it’s a small one.
Someone Call A Grownup 