Everyone needs a break and it is important to take time off, especially if you are working from home. Constantly working is not good. You get stressed, cranky, and can even make costly mistakes. We punish ourselves by not stepping away from our work and/or when we do step away, we beat ourselves up for having taken a break. As a result, no matter what we are doing, we think that we should be doing something else. That is not psychologically healthy and as a result, mental health issues are on the rise. Stop the madness!
Set time limits. Give yourself a lunch hour. Take your breaks. When you go to work, work! When you leave, leave!
Separate work from home – even if you are working from home. A good way to mentally divide your work and off times is to exit by one door to go to work and walk in another to arrive at work. Try taking a walk around the block “to go to work.” It is good exercise and will get those endorphins going so, in the long run, you will be even more productive!
Set realistic expectations. We waste time fretting about “How am I ever going to get all this done?!?” What can you realistically get done in a day? In a week? Sometimes we don’t give ourselves enough time to complete a project well and thus we create our own stress. If you are prone to doing this, add 20% to the time that you allot for a project.
Let your boss know what you are working on. Because your boss is not seeing you, he or she may not know what you are doing. Bosses are human. They forget what they have assigned you. When you are given a new assignment, let your boss know what else is on your plate. A good way to do this is to say what you are working on and ask where the new assignment fits into the priority.
Know your personality. Different personality types relax in different ways. Some people enjoy projects when they relax. Others need to just veg out. Some want to be with people, and they get energy by calling and talking with people. Others find people exhausting and need quiet and alone time. Relax in a way that works for you! In the end, maintaining your competitive edge is working when you are working and playing when it is time to play! So, go play!!!