Working to Exhaustion
When you are working it can be difficult to stop. You are on a roll with a task or project, or there is a deadline looming. There can also be more subtle reasons why you don’t stop. You worry that your boss or your colleagues might think that you are skiving. Perfectionism could be an issue so your work is never truly finished. Or you think that if you stop you aren't being productive.
The default position therefore being; Not working = bad, Working = good
This can result in what feels like an unnatural rhythm to your day. Stare and work at PC screen for 3 hours. You only stop because you really need the toilet so you have to get up. Back to the screen for another 2 hours. You realise that you are thirsty as you haven't had a drink all morning, so you grab a quick instant coffee.
Back to the screen. Its 2pm and your tummy starts rumbling. You forgot to have lunch (and maybe breakfast). You take the sandwich out of your bag, or pop a piece of bread in the toaster.
Back to the desk. You keep going for the rest of the day until your brain finally says it quits. Its got nothing left. It can't make any more decisions, it's fried, and your body's feeling the impact too. Its hardly moved all day, but been buffeted inside from all the internal mental and emotional stresses and strains.
You then rinse and repeat the next day. You don’t know how long you can keep this up. It's all you know, but it doesn't quite feel right.
Did any of that resonate with you?
To be personally productive and to keep your sanity and wellbeing, you need to search out other routes to success. Like a scientist in the lab. Testing different working patterns to find the optimal one for you. Rather than being reactive to your work, you are taking a proactive stance. Checking in with yourself regularly throughout the day, observing how much mental energy is presently in the tank. Stopping at regular intervals to rest and revaluate what you are presently doing. Recharge and recalibrate before going again.
By designing a working rhythm that is sustainable for you creates many advantages. You enable space for what really matters in your work and home life. You feel energised for longer. Building yourself a more flexible structure to your day helps you to relax and enjoy your work. Plus allowing for plenty of guilt-free time for all the other things in life too.