Many of us go through periods when we have little personal time, writes Alice Boyes. Others may be committed to jobs that regularly involve intense and long hours, creating a long-term lack of rest. She offers practical tips for thriving when you have to be fully committed. Here are some strategies that can help:
- Use Premack’s principle; reward system
- Compartmentalize
- Save small scraps of time for mental rest
- Add physical decompression rituals to your day
- Pair pleasure experiences with other activities.
Source: Harvard Business Review, March 26, 2019. Link.
. . . during those times when overworking makes short- or long-term sense (or is a necessity), you need some harm minimization strategies. It’s important to pace yourself and not let your obligations consume you.
INSIGHTS: Boyes provides good recommendations for living through the busiest times at work. Team members can remind each other to use small scraps of time for a breath of fresh air or to share a funny story.