5 Steps to Take if You Are Working Too Hard

Another weekend has come and gone. I swear it flies by SO fast! Especially now that they end of the year is approaching. As 2016 winds down, it’s a good time to take a look and see if you are working too hard.

I’m a blogger, a student and I’m working as part of my practicum. Trying to get everything done, and done well, can often lead to working overtime. And then some! Just me?

5 steps to take if you are working too hard

What’s the difference between working and working too hard? When we work too hard we put ourselves at risk for burning out. Ain’t no body got time for that!! Stress is big time bad news. It can wreck havoc on our bodies and our health. So what can we do if we are working too hard?

1. Take the time to do your work well. I could pump out more blog posts in a week but with the time that it takes me to do one good post I would just be posting for the sake of posting. The writing and photos would not be as good as I want them to be. Instead, think quality not quantity. Working through your task properly may actually help you to find ways to speed up the process next time. Like, I do things in batches. By going into Canva one night a week and doing all my graphics it ends up being faster than going post by post.
2. Try to be less of a workaholic. Set yourself a time when you are going to leave work. Even if you work from home, it is still important to figure out a time when you are going to finish for the night. I blog in the evenings, so for me, I turn off the computer at 10pm. Another tip that I used to be guilty of not following – always take your lunch break!! This is one that I’ve struggled with. I have definitely ate more than my share of lunches while still at work. Sometimes that was due to the nature of my job, but I am pretty sure they could have managed without me for 15-20 minutes while I ate! Now, as tempting as it might be, I set aside my computer (and my phone!!) to eat my meals.
3. Learn to destress and relax. Something like a bath, facial or even just sleeping in on the weekend works for a lot of people. I’ve trained myself to wake up at a set time each day so sleeping in on the weekend doesn’t really work for me.
4. Find away to enjoy your down time. Figure out a way to enjoy the time away from your desk and your computer. Learning how to relax is a skill that takes practice. It can be hard to stop thinking about work when you are away from it. Learning strategies that work for you and practice can help.
5. Mindfulness meditation. This for me is the big one. Since starting a mindfulness practice my anxiety and stress has dramatically decreased!! Learning how to be more present can also help with the other 4 steps. In fact, I’ve become a lot more efficient by focusing on just doing one thing at a time. When I’m meditating, I’m meditating. When I’m working I’m working. Mindfulness can help teach you the skills needed to destress and focus.

Interested in learning more about mindfulness?? Sign up below to be added to the waitlist for my upcoming Mindfulness workshops and courses! Launching soon: a free weekly email series on how to begin a mindfulness practice!!

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