2-3-4 Friday

‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’

1 thought

Friend, you don’t want to be like me. I quitted my job without any job at the back of it. And if I look back at what made me take such a drastic decision, it was the realisation that I simply couldn’t do this anymore. This? What’s this?! 

 

It was the fact that I was constantly charging, working beyond hours, and never switching off. I remember the times when I would spend Saturdays clearing case notes and assessments because there was a deadline coming up. 

 

Recently, I realised there was a different way. There wasn’t any other way, really. I quitted coffee and I couldn’t get my body to work. I would take a nap every 3 hours! 11am, 3pm, then at 6pm… I couldn’t go on any longer. Somehow I found myself having better sleep. Being less worried. And ready to start the next day. 

 

So many times, we work as if there’s no tomorrow! As if everything had to be done today, right now! Or we think that the WhatsApp message/email that comes in from the boss, is too urgent. It needs to be settled now. 

 

Calm down. It’s not. It’s not that serious. My therapist once told me a way he managed to unwind from the work in the office. Every time he worried about a client, he would ask himself, 

Is someone going to die?

Naturally the answer would be no. And he would carry on with the rest of the day. 

 

If you want to go far without burning out, can I convince you to have a hard stop at 6pm? Or whatever your endtime is.

 

In fact, 10 minutes before time, start packing up. Even if you’re working from home. 

 

It helps. Put away your laptop, your diary, the notes from the day. Then have a shut down routine where you:

1. Check your email for the last time for outstanding/urgent tasks and address them (whether it be parking them for the next day or replying them) 
   1. An easy heuristic to apply is “Can this reply be done in two minutes? If yes, reply. If no, leave it.”
2. Write down what you’ve done for the day 
3. Assign outstanding tasks to the next few days 

Stop work when work stops. Don’t extend your hours. You will find yourself strangely more liberated. 

And please… be intentional about it. 

 

1 talk

“Just because you take breaks doesn’t mean you’re broken.” 
― Curtis Tyrone Jones

1 tip 

Tired of the WhatsApp messages that come in about work, on your personal mobile? On a great night out with a friend, and then suddenly having a work crisis appear? 

 

Here’s my suggestion. Have a work mobile number. When there are $0 plans today, and a surplus of phones around the house, it’s the easiest way to have a clear line between work and home. 

 

Can’t do that? Use different apps for family and friends, and another for work. I use iMessage/SMS for family and close friends whilst WhatsApp remains mostly for work. In fact, I’ve come to almost have a sense of dread each time I use WhatsApp, because I know I will be inundated with work. Too much work. 

 

Try it. You will be surprised at the headspace you’re given.

 

 

P.S. Want to think differently about a problem you're facing? Talk to me, (and no worries, there's no fee!)

 

John

Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love