In the era of globalization, to disconnect or unplug yourself from the routine, especially from work, seems to be an impossible task. Finding a balance between the time we dedicate to work and free time might seem irrelevant to us.
Irrelevant in the sense that we don’t set aside time to think about it in a explicit way. But the truth is not doing it might lead to an accumulation of stress which, in the long run, turns into anxiety. And this anxiety comes with concerning effects on our health.
Paradoxically, when we cling to work, we sabotage our life in favor of this obsession. If your mind gets tired, it is less efficient and has a lower performance. At this point, the more we work, the worse our performance. Our frustration grows and the important decisions we have to make are postponed or become less skillful.
“When you can’t seem to rest within yourself, it’s useless to search for rest some place else.”
–François de la Rochefoucauld–
But it’s not only important to disconnect from work, but also from the technological bombardment that we sometimes experience in our day-to-day lives. Nowadays, we have a different perspective of social relationships. This generates an artificial need to constantly remain connected. That need to always be available awakens an insecurity in people when they are forced to separate themselves from their gadgets. Therefore, this behavior can end up affecting our emotional well-being.
Disconnect from new technologies
Few people are really aware of the importance of having free time. Unless you practice the art of relaxation , your job will become too stressful. Work can end up becoming an addiction. And like any addiction, it will have negative consequences. That’s why it is important for you to know how to disconnect.
New technologies have improved our ways of communication and the flow of information. Technology has also contributed to the deterioration of our quality of life and health. This is the conclusion that many studies have published in the areas of medicine and psychology.
Of course, instant communication constitutes an enormous advantage, but it is also a form of slavery. New technology, and in particular social networks, absorb us completely. They hamper the task of establishing limits between your personal and work worlds.
Your health and your work
From the perspective of health, you know you need to disconnect if you experience the following: chronic fatigue, lack of energy and exhaustion. Our concentration is reduced and, as a whole, it translates into an overall inefficiency in the activities we perform. Often our psychological state manifests in physical symptoms, in the form of dermatological or gastrointestinal illnesses or persistent headaches.
In this case, the only formula you need to resolve problems is rest. Free time is the perfect scenario to disconnect from work and take care of activities that relax you . In order to know if it’s time for you to disconnect, you should start by evaluating your sleeping habits. That is to say, evaluate whether you are getting an adequate amount and quality of sleep hours.
Improving upon this aspect, your life will take a different route, and you’ll experience noticeable recovery in no time. Both in physical ways and in a psychological aspect, the benefits you’ll receive are enormous. Because there will be less stress accumulated in your system. You’ll put a stop to the exhaustion that is deteriorating your health. In another sense, you’ll be able to restore your energy and resources, in a way that your performance will improve in the face of your work and social demands.
It’s a must for us to dedicate some free time to resting, having fun and performing the activities that we most enjoy. Only focusing on your everyday tasks undermines your creativity.
Tips to disconnect
In order to disconnect, you must keep in mind the following:
Laughter and having fun should be at the top of your to do list. These are the fundamental ingredients to getting the most and the best out of ourselves. Working during your resting time could give you a false sense of productivity. When in reality, what you are doing is depleting your creativity, motivation and energy.
Work and free time are equally as important. The economical crisis that many countries are experiencing makes us afraid of losing our jobs. And this makes us work even harder. However, you have to set limits in regards to the time you dedicate to your job. That’s why the time you unnecessarily dedicate to your job needs to be compensated with free time during the weekends.
We need to learn how to delegate tasks, as well as prioritize activities. Specially when we hold management positions, it is our duty to trust our work team. On the contrary, we would be taking on a burden at work, too difficult to sustain in the long term. It is important to plan our rest time, specially if it will be spent away from home .
In order to enjoy our free time, it’s best to not take devices such as a cellphone or a computer. That will ruin everything. When the mind is freed of the pressure and all of that excess work, that’s when it can create freely. Additionally, that’s also where you can think about ideas more clearly and with a greater sense of tranquility, in order to resolve any issue.
