How to Balance Rest and Productivity
Being in a culture that celebrates hustle, it often feels like the only way to succeed in life is to work non-stop and sacrifice sleep, self-care, and well-being.
In today’s episode, I present a different perspective.
What if there is a way you can balance rest and productivity?
Overworking ourselves can have some serious consequences on our physical and mental health.
According to a study published in the journal The Lancet, working long hours can lead to a 29 percent increase in stroke risk and a 13 percent increase in coronary heart disease.
So, physical impact aside, acknowledging that we know that overworking can have a real physical toll, we can also see that being a workaholic can lead to chronic stress and impact our relationships.
And workaholism is on the rise. A study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that 26 percent of workers say that they are often, or very often, burnt out or stressed due to their work.
Why do so many of us find ourselves trapped in this cycle of overworking?
Glorification of busy culture
It's critical to remember that burnout isn't a sign of success.
It's a sign that something is out of balance. We talked last week about how multitasking doesn't improve productivity. Similarly, overworking doesn't lead to increased productivity. Studies show that working more than 55 hours a week can result in reduced productivity due to fatigue and decreased focus.
This is something that I've had to learn for myself in recent years - I do better work faster if I step away when I am tired or stressed out. Because pushing through, led to mistakes, frustration, and didn't actually get that work done all that much faster.
How do we break free from this practice and create a healthier balance?
1. Set boundaries
One of the first steps in unlearning workaholism is getting super clear on your boundaries, establishing specific work hours and sticking to them.
If you work in an office setting, communicate these boundaries with your colleagues and a supervisor to help manage their expectations. One of the most common conversations I have with clients who are still in their nine-to-five is reminding them that they probably have more control over their time than they're led to believe.
An honest conversation with your supervisor can go a long way in creating a work environment that supports your best work. It could be something as simple as my focus is strongest in the afternoon. Could I please come in at nine instead of eight and stay a little bit later to maximize my workday?
You'd be amazed at how much flexibility you may have just by simply asking.
2. Prioritize the tasks
Prioritization is key to boosting productivity.
Identifying the most critical tasks and focusing on completing them alone during a designated workday is difficult. So, if you are struggling with prioritization, always refer to your goals first. How will each task you need to accomplish today help you reach your goal? Do all of the tasks help you reach a goal?
You can utilize time management techniques like a Pomodoro or power hours to maintain focus and incorporate regular breaks throughout your day.
So again, when we're talking about prioritization, it's about identifying those critical tasks that help you move forward towards your goal and then building in structure, such as Pomodoro or Power Hours, where you can work in a really focused capacity with scheduled breaks, which is really important when we're talking about burnout and workaholism.
3. Plan for rest
Regular breaks are essential for maintaining productivity, and research supports this. It shows that taking short breaks during the workday can improve concentration and creativity, so just as you would schedule your work tasks and block out working on different projects at different times, schedule time for breaks and self-care throughout your whole day.
Whether it's that daily meditation, a weekend getaway, or simply time with loved ones, allocate time for those activities throughout your schedule. And it doesn't have to be that fancy. It could also be a walk around your neighborhood, a call with a friend, taking a really long hot shower, and doing a full-body care routine.
Whatever is going to work for you to have some self-care in your day is going to be critical in breaking us out of that cycle of work and coming back to ourselves so that we can maintain our focus and that really important self-care.
Remember rest is not a reward. It does not need to be earned. It is a necessity. And I, for 1, always find that I am most inspired and able to problem solve better when I step away from my computer.
4. Seek support
If you are a workaholic, it is a work addiction. And we know it can be super challenging to unlearn these behaviors and to break that addiction.
So, in addition to all of the other tips, it's often really helpful to seek real support. Talk to a trusted friend, a family member, a coach like myself, or a therapist about your struggles and where that work compulsion is coming from, so, hopefully, they can provide guidance, accountability, and encouragement as you work towards a healthier work-life balance. Workaholism is going to impact your relationships. So, make sure that you're hearing the concerns of your family members who probably miss you and want to spend more time with you.
The path to unlearning workaholism and finding balance is a journey, and it's about making super intentional choices and prioritizing your well-being over that constant pursuit of productivity.
Remember, you deserve a life that is both fulfilling and sustainable. So go ahead and prioritize your rest and self-care because it's not about working harder. It's about working smarter and living better.
Free Resources For You
Grab Chelsey’s free guide on Understanding Procrastination.
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation call with Chelsey so that you can create a booked-out business without burnout.
Connect with Chelsey Newmyer
Website: https://chelseynewmyer.com/
Instagram: @chelseyncoaching
