by Deborah M McCormick
My former boss/mentor heralded using your time “wisely”. Use your “car time” to return calls or just as a check in with your top clients. Commuting on the train? Catch up or get a head start on your day’s work. Have a free Sunday afternoon? Read the latest business book best seller. Golfing or at your child’s soccer game? Network! Learn how you can help them/they can help you? Use your Sunday evening to catch up on emails, prepare and prioritize for the week ahead. These tips were so ingrained in our work culture that I often found myself feeling guilty for using my “free” time differently and without a work-related purpose. And while it’s true that these tools often helped me (and that I still utilize many today), I have learned that there are other ways to be productive and efficient at my work as well – by disconnecting. And to be fair, my boss also had ways that he disconnected. He couldn’t have been as successful for so long if he didn’t.
Disconnecting, even if only for a brief time can help you clear your head, reduce stress, make better decisions, solve problems and prepare yourself for challenges ahead. The break can help you be more efficient and productive, and more connected to the task at hand, when you do step back in.
Here are a few of the tools that I’ve added to my repertoire over the years . . .
Don’t work through lunch (or at least be sure to take a few breaks throughout the day). I was guilty of this for most of my career. Sometimes you need to step away to gain perspective. It’s really amazing what a subtle change in scenery or position can make. Even if you don’t have long, eat away from your desk, take a walk, get some fresh air if the weather is cooperating.
Use your commute time to check in with family or friends. Read, listen to music, or simply think. Let your mind wander (while paying attention to the road if driving of course) or try to purposefully clear it. Breathe. This release can enhance your mood, help relieve stress, bring a new perspective and enhance creativity.
Yes, read the newspaper and business books. They offer knowledge, invaluable insights, practical strategies, and can serve as a conversation starter while networking. I truly enjoy reading business books. But, don’t forget to read for pure pleasure as well. Reading, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, traditional book, e-reader or audio book, can offer your mind an escape, a retreat from your regular day-to-day. Have you ever found yourself so immersed in a story that you insert yourself into it? I must admit that I develop an English accent while reading Jane Austen. And there are countless podcasts, yes, many business related, but also ones that you can escape with.
Move your body daily – even if you can’t get a full workout in. Take the stairs, park a little further away from your destination. Can’t get to the gym? No problem. Virtual classes are in (we can thank COVID for that) and are often only 30 minutes. Music is a key component of my exercise motivation, but every once in a while, I do a class or take a run without it. And I just listen and take it all in – the sights and sounds of my surroundings, of my breath, and my thoughts (or lack there-of). I also make an effort to take solo walks occasionally. A solo walk is a walk without my beloved canine (and I feel guilty even while writing this). I am walking an almost 100-pound German Shepherd who is reactive to other dogs and has a strong prey drive. It may seem completely inefficient and selfish, but it’s a completely different and mindful experience. I make time for both.
Make sure that you are making time for true and personal connection – with your family and friends. My mentor made an effort to spend one-on-one time with each of his children, engaging in activities that they enjoyed. However you do it, make sure to give your full and undivided attention (and turn off your electronics) while spending time with your family and friends. You’ll all gain from it.
Disconnecting doesn’t have to mean purposeful or mindful activities. Just be sure that you take time away from work (and thinking about work) to have fun and enjoy yourself. Do those activities purposefully and without distraction.
Submitted by Deborah M McCormick