Keep Up the Good Work
Work is good. With the way the world is going right now, I’m especially grateful to all of my clients for keeping me busy. I mean, really busy. I hope that you’re able to say the same for yourself and your company.
Maybe you’re a freelancer or self-employed business person who always works from home, or maybe this pandemic has made some serious changes in your work situation. Either way, chances are you’ve been confronted with some big work/life balance challenges these last few months.
The Same Setting
I have a home office and an office for my business, but either way, I’m looking at a computer screen for 90 percent of my working day. It’s easy to forget what a big difference a change of scenery can make. Even in the best of times, we all can get really focused on our work, on getting things done day after day. And nowadays, we’re probably getting out less and seeing even less variety in our surroundings.
Stress Adds Up
And that’s fine. Like I said, I’m extremely grateful to have lots and lots of work to do. But in order to be our best as business people and as human beings, it’s important to be kind to ourselves, to our minds and bodies, because there’s a lot of real stress that comes from doing the same thing and looking at the same thing hour after hour, day after day, week after week, and month after month. It adds up. And eventually, it’s going to take its toll.
Take a Break
You might be one of those “tough it out” kinds of people. It’s natural. We all have to tell ourselves to tough it out every now and then just to get things done. But I’m here to say that it really doesn’t take much to make a big difference in your stress levels. It’s just a matter of making a habit of taking a moment for yourself.
Just One Breath
You don’t need to schedule an hour of meditation or force a full-on exercise routine into your already busy schedule. All it takes is a breath. Look away from the screen, let your eyes focus on something that’s more than 10 feet away. Inhale, exhale. That’s it. When you know that that’s all it takes, it’s easier to make a habit of it. And that’s the kind of thing that can keep you going strong in the long run.
