How to Slow Down, Carve out Free Time, and Stop to Smell the Roses  

“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

-Dolly Parton 

Driven professionals take pride in their work, but many times use career accomplishments as reflective not just of their success in business, but of personal achievement  as well — which isn’t surprising, since the average American spends more time working than anything else.  In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest research on the average work day for working Americans breaks up the work day as the following:

• • • 7.7 hours sleeping
    • 8.7 hours working
    • 2.5 hours on leisure and sports
    • 1.1 hours on household activities
    • 1 hour eating and drinking
    • 1.3 caring for others
    • 1.7 on other activities

And a quick poll with 50 professional women ranging from 25-45 years in age breaks it up to show that work impacts even more of their time: 7 hours sleeping; 11 hours working; .5 hours on leisure and sports; 1 hour on household activities; 1.5 hours eating and drinking; and 3 hours caring for others.

Long days at a desk, however, are not an automatic path to happiness (unless, as sometimes thankfully happens, you are so riveted by what you do that time speeds by enjoyably.) For most people, the truth is this: if you seek to measure success by your accomplishments as a professional, that’s okay, but be wary if your work habits start to negatively impact your personal life and your health.  If this is the case, then there are some important steps to prevent it, and rebound from a work addiction.  Following are  some ideas about finding personal time for professionals who tend to take work to an extreme.

7 Tips to Pull Back and Smarten Up

“I work too hard, and don’t play enough.”

-Danielle Steele, author 

Exercise Before Work to Acquire Some Zing – If you’ve spent the last few years working 12+ hour days (that’s 7am-7pm or some version of that work schedule), you were likely unable to find time to work out — and therefore the running trail or gym are now calling your name!  Exercise can actually improve your work day by adding energy and focus, so you’re more efficient and impactful, and it also helps with your self-image and self-esteem; in fact, being just five pounds lighter can drastically impact mood and physical output.

If you’re a highly driven professional, work out before you head into the office; otherwise you’ll continue to use work as an excuse not to hit the gym at the end of the day.  Also, it will give you an extra boost of stamina before you arrive at the workplace.  

Get Good Slumber, and Eat Good Grub – If you’ve mentioned to friends and family, on more than one occasion, “I was so busy, I forgot to eat,” then it’s a sure sign you’re not taking proper care of your body. Your body needs nourishment and a good eight hours of sleep to keep up with an active and demanding work week. Take time to carve out time in the morning for a healthy breakfast (here are some super-easy tips for breakfast-on-the-go), and spend a little extra time in the afternoon to partake of a nutritious lunch that will give you energy, so you can last your 10-12 hour work day (click here for brilliant brown bag recipes).

As for getting peaceful zzzzs: Force yourself to turn off the computer, wind down for an hour or two before turning in, and stick to a strict bedtime that will get you to eight hours per night. If you absolutely have to do some computer work in the evenings, invest in a pair of “blue-light blocking glasses” that will stop the give-you-insomnia effect your screen emits.  A recent Reuters article explains how this works.

This is the Part Where You Smell the Roses – Taking breaks during the day is important for your physical and mental health. Sitting too long can cause strain on your joints and muscles, gazing for hours at the computers strains your eyes, and your mind turns to mush if you stare at anything too long.

Instead, take a break and grab a coffee with a co-worker.  Or stroll around the building or head out to an al fresco lunch on a patio, where you can get energizing sunlight.  The fresh air and change of environment will help you stay focused in the long run.

It’s True: Being Perfect Isn’t Possible – Contrary to popular belief, workaholics aren’t always appreciated by their employers or their colleagues, because they have a tendency to micro-manage and work too hard on activities that have a relatively low impact. It’s imperative that you learn to let things go — stop thinking that everything has to be 100% perfect, and learn to accept that “almost perfect” is sometimes sufficient. As the ancient philosopher Confucius wrote: “Better to be a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”

At Home or with Friends, Kick the Phone to the Curb, and Ditch the Mountain of Files – With mobile devices and access anywhere, anytime, it makes it very difficult to put work down and not continue once you get home, or when you head out to dinner with family and friends.  So make a conscious effort to wrap up everything for the day before you head out, and only check your email and phone for “business-critical” activities (example: overseas call, or the crucial go-ahead on a project).  Anything else that can wait until the morning, you should add to your “to do” box for the following day.  Also, stop checking your phone continually for updates, and even better, don’t answer non-critical business calls after hours.

Get Out There and Party – Well, not exactly. But learn to love leisure and anything that qualifies as memory-making, good times. Here’s how to do it:  if you’re like any busy professional, your work and personal schedules are all consolidated into one calendar and you live and die by that.  In other words,  if it’s not scheduled on your calendar, it’s likely not going to happen. So, in a consolidated life, where your business and personal activities are intertwined, it’s important to treat your social commitments with friends and family as just as important as your business ones. Don’t cancel attendance at a friend’s birthday party, a child’s recital, or any activity with a loved one or cherished friend that would be deemed “business-critical” if it were a work function. In other words, use the same method of prioritization of your personal engagements that you do with your professional ones.

Get Your Sunglasses and Passport Ready (on a Regular Basis)  – It’s a recognizable fact that Americans are given fewer vacation days than their European neighbors, and even more upsetting that most don’t use those that they are given. You will look back one day and wish you had used all of your vacation time — and also wish that you had traveled more.  (As the old saying goes, “No one on their deathbed has ever said, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’ ”) It’s important for your professional career and mental health that you take some time for yourself to unwind, spend time with family, see the world, meet new people and try new things.   

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt