Taking a break

I finally got it. Yes, Covid. It is feeling like severe flu. It is interesting as I observed how I have been dealing with it. First, it is a denial that it was not bad since I had symptoms of a runny nose but tested negative on home tests. I continued working more than 14 hours daily while having a high fever. On the 6th day of having flu-like symptoms, I finally tested positive for Covid. What do I do? Should I continue to work? I listened to myself tell my friend that I would ignore it and work at home, and it will all work out. Yes. It has all my life. I concentrated on working, and all other life matters also got handled. I realized that work had been my mental savior. I love it. It entertains me and gives me a sense of usefulness. But the price is getting exhaustion, low tolerance, burnout, and much more.

Besides some who, like me, use work as an all-encompassing matter, many others experienced finding themselves in all work and no break in the past couple of years. The pandemic changed so many things about how we work, where we work, and how long we do work.??

The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that Americans are working 48 minutes more per day on average than before. When I talk to my clients, I hear that when they work from home, it is difficult not to keep returning to work. Their hours are no longer the 8 hours at the office, but it is 16 hours since they will answer emails and phone calls throughout their wake time. They believe they are obligated. They also think that their boss expects them to answer back quickly throughout their waking time. Many who own their own small or professional business also continue to work long hours in fear of not having enough clientele. Therefore, they try to give flexible service hours whenever a client needs it. Online work has also contributed to people continuing to work many hours without even getting up from their desks while their Apple watch attempts to remind them to get up.

So, what to do?

First, let’s structure the breaks and put them on your calendar. Treat your time with you as sacred as your time with work or your clients.?

Check your energy and attention levels to see the best structure for you. Some say 25 minutes of attention on a task and 15 minutes off on a break.?

Some like to work 50 min. And then get 10 min. Others take 2 hours of straight work and then take 15 min break. Ultimately after 4 hours, a more extended break of one hour would be wise. At one point in the day, it is necessary for you to stop working and allow guilt-free leisure to start.??

What to do on your break?

I know the first thing you do is on your phone surfing the net for news, checking out your social media, or doing your online shopping? Right? Well, for some, this might be relaxing, and call it a zoning out time. For others, this may produce a more overwhelming rush of incoming information and overwhelm them.?

Breaking from activities that rely on the prefrontal cortex and using other brain regions is very important and can renew focus.??

Closing your eyes for some minutes, shifting the focus inward, calming the body, focusing on your breath, meditating, and listening to music help calm down the body if that is what you need. Use one of the binaural beat music on YouTube to calm you down.

If you like energizing, consider listening to upbeat music, dancing to your favorite song, exercising, walking around the block, or jumping on a small trampoline or jump rope. Seek nature by creating a beautiful garden in your backyard to hang out. Walk your dog in the nearby park.??

Plan nature walks, trips, and vacations for more extended leisure activities. Go on family outings, plan a party with your favorite people, and ultimately take some time off work to nurture yourself.

Stop limiting yourself only to enjoy work. So many aspects of life are out there for you to explore, learn from and expand your horizon.?

Ok. off to resting now since my fever is rising. I am going to listen to myself and turn off work for now.

Love

Foojan