Do you work too much? If you are constantly consumed by your work and rarely take time off, then perhaps you do. While work can certainly be rewarding, you must also make sure that your tendency to work too much doesn’t negatively affect your health. Read on for a few tips to help you find a balance.
Monitor Your Health
If you’re constantly working and jumping from one activity to the next day after day, your health might begin to suffer. Pay attention to your energy levels and your feelings of fatigue. Notice aches and pains, eyestrain and headaches, nervous habits and anything that seems out of sorts. You should take time to step back and evaluate yourself instead of putting things off and letting your health needs get put to the wayside. Always schedule your routine dental appointments and physicals.
Then strive to maintain good health and find treatment for problems. Eating right and exercising consistently can play a large role here, so make the effort to do both even if it takes you away from work for a while. Visit a chiropractor to relieve back pain or neck pain or an optometrist for eye issues. Don’t neglect your health for the sake of your work. That will backfire on you down the road.
Cope With Stress
You must also make an effort to cope with stress. High stress levels can lead to all kinds of problems, and work does cause stress, no matter how much you enjoy your job. Therefore, build a “toolbox” full of stress management techniques that you can pull out when you need them. These might include music therapy, guided breathing exercises, prayer and meditation, extra exercise or even time with a favorite book or movie. When you feel your stress level rising (and learn to recognize the signs, too!), then take a little break, and turn to one of your techniques to help you calm back down. You’ll actually work more efficiently if you do.
Learn To Delegate
You might be the kind of person who likes to do everything yourself, but if you’re already working too much, this may not be an option. Therefore, learn to delegate some tasks to others. You can start small and ask a colleague to connect with a client for you or your partner to make supper one evening. Don’t worry if they don’t do things exactly as you would as long as the task gets done. Making a habit of delegation will free you up for other tasks and help you manage your work load.
Take Time Off
Finally, sometimes you may simply have to force yourself to take time off. There may be days when you are ill or are caring for someone who is ill. Then set work aside for a bit. Other days you may need a mental health break. Sometimes it is even good to drop everything for an afternoon and just do something fun. It’s okay. Your tasks will be there when you get back, and you’ll be back on schedule in no time. You might even schedule time off if that helps.
If you work too much, then you’re going to need to find some balance in your life. Follow some of these tips, and start to relax…just a little bit!