Don't Take Your Work Stress Home with You
Several years ago, Jackie Coleman and I wrote for Harvard Business Review about trying to keep work stress out of your home life. As millions are working from home, it felt like a good time to repost the article (which you can find here). Our advice in short:
(1) Confine your work to particular times and locations. Particularly as you work from home, designate certain times and locations for "work". For example, don't work on your laptop in bed or constantly check your work email at all hours of the day. This can help you be more productive while working and less distracted while not working.
(2) Develop good mobile device habits. Put your phones down during family time and don't check phones right before you go to bed or right away when you wake up. Find the right balance of connectivity through your phone.
(3) Establish a good support network. Find friends and colleagues who can help support you in challenging times rather than placing everything on your spouse or partner.
(4) Have an end-of-work habit. Find a symbolic way of "calling it a day" that helps you shift your mindset while you're done working.
(5) Create a third space. Work and family are both important, but maintaining some personal space and personal interests is important as well. Find at least some minimal "third space" that helps you recharge as an individual.
Good luck to everyone, and stay safe. Take care.
Connecting People to Make Good Things Happen
5 年Thank you, John, I tend to struggle with #1?and #4, in particular and this is a great and timely reminder.
Content Manager at Darlington School
5 年This is a great article, John & Jackie! Thanks for the timely advice.
Digital & Data Strategy | Salesforce | TOGAF | SixSigma | ITIL | Next100CIO | Harvard Business School
5 年Thanks for sharing this John. While many of us would have no choice but to take work home in the coming days, these are good pointers to atleast manage/reduce some stress.