What does your typical workday look like? If you are like most of your colleagues: You can function on minimal sleep; your smart phone is the first thing in the palm of your hands at 6am as you respond to emails and sip on your early morning caffeine fix. Chances are you are constantly rushing - speeding to make the traffic light, running to a board meeting, hurrying to impress a boss. You relentlessly check your messages as you grab something to eat, rarely having the time to take a break. Between your client meetings and work events you have no time for a personal life. And before you know it in the endeavor to juggle this continuous stream of projects, deadlines, and obligations, you forget to simply stop and breathe.
R.E.I.M.S (pronounced rhymes) are the FIVE things you can do to live a more productive, balanced, and happy-healthy life.
Rest: Paradoxically it is often doing less than can help us achieve more. In an economy where the payoffs benefit those who work longer hours, we often forget that our energy is finite and overspending it eventually leads to diminishing marginal returns. Taking a break to rest both physically and mentally helps renew this energy and exert it more efficiently.
Exercise: Working out not only helps lose those few extra pounds but also the stress and anxiety that characterize today’s fast-paced job environment. Physical activity releases endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Even a quick jog or a short game of tennis can help us forget about your daily worries, feel more relaxed, and thus work more effectively.
Invest in relationships: Investments should not be restricted to assets and stocks but should also extend to our personal lives. Devoting time and care to interpersonal relations builds a support system that we can depend upon. This can become an important stress buster, a way to gain new perspective, a source of self-worth and assistance. Your family and friends are the ones who will take care of you on a hospital bed; not your stock. Please, take them seriously and this will result in happier and more fulfilled lives.
Meditation and Mindfulness: Taking a timeout to practice meditation and mindfulness can help produce a deep state of relaxation and tranquility. The moment-to-moment awareness that is crucial to this technique reduces stress and boosts emotional well-being. Focusing on the present instead of worrying about other problems can help ease tensed muscles, increase self-awareness, and even gain greater clarity.
Sleep: Contrary to popular practice, sufficient sleep is crucial to performing well at work. A recent research studied nearly 400 employees to show that less than 6 hours of sleep is a strong predictor of on-the-job burnout. Sleeping well at night and taking daytime naps reduce the drowsiness and exhaustion that often impede productivity. It restores the body and rejuvenates the mind, thus boosting performance.
Although conventional wisdom asks us to work long and hard, slowing down can be beneficial for both our health and our productivity. A walk around the block, grabbing lunch with friends, or lounging on the couch are simple measures that go a long way in making our lives more balanced while also improving outcomes at work. For all of you who are overworked and overwhelmed it is time to hit the pause button and take these few simple steps.Thus, the next time you are rushing to meet a deadline remember to slow down and breathe.
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