photo: white suit

With endless lockdowns and social withdrawal hitting us pretty hard it seems work is the only thing keeping a lot of us sane right now. Whilst work may be one of the only things we can nosedive into right now, it is essential to look into our self-care routines and realise that, now more than ever, productivity isn’t always achievable.

Becoming a workaholic has been an obvious way for a lot of us to deal with the stress of the pandemic and ignore the anxiety. But in reality, being a hard worker who neglects their wellbeing eventually leads to burnout. Stepping away from work can feel like a waste of precious time or mean we have to finally face reality and that’s scary! Taking the time to look after yourself however only aids productivity and let’s face it we all have to deal with reality someday.

Know when you need to take a step back and try some of these things:

Consistent sleep

It comes up time and time again but that is for good reason. Getting a good night’s sleep aids productivity, it stabilises mood, improves energy levels and it is essential in maintaining personal health. If possible, try going to bed and wake up at consistent times. Of course, sometimes we have to work late or rise early, it can’t be avoided, but recognise this fluctuation and if you can factor in an early bedtime or treat yourself to a lie in!

Get outdoors at every opportunity

2020 (and seemingly 2021 too) has been crowned the year of the walk. People have probably walked more steps in 2020 than their entire. We’re all getting bored of it but don’t lose that momentum! Even if it’s for 10 minutes a day, find an excuse to get outdoors, see some different scenery and refresh yourself.

Organise your time

It’s a fact we have to work harder when we are unorganised. It means working later to get tasks done and it can also mean we eat worse, sleep worse and generally just live worse. Whilst it can be hard to get into the habit, try keep a diary to manage your time so it is less likely things will catch you off guard. No one can plan for everything, but if there are regular events in your schedule which you know you’ll be rushing for, try register this and plan your day around them.

Take time to unplug

We all depend on being connected now but being connected 24/7 means time to relax can be pushed further away. Pick an hour, a day, maybe even a week to not check those emails or turn the phone off and just bask in there being no notifications to jump to. Most of the time, it can wait!

Accept your limits, we’re all human!

The biggest barrier to tackling being a workaholic is the ability to say no. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day and agreeing to do that extra task will be putting your wellbeing in jeopardy. We are all human and it is okay to sometimes not get everything done. Trying to stretch yourself too thin will only add to the stress and make you less productive. Stepping out of your comfort zone is one thing but overstepping your limits can have nasty consequences so be kind to yourself!