Stop Working
Opinionated thoughts on how to unplug
One and only caveat
I don’t know your work situation, but you do. It will be your task to put in the nuance you feel is necessary. Also, if you are a bad employee or lazy, this is not for you.
Unplugging from work is hard for ambitious and conscientious people. It has gotten really hard in this new horrible wonderful world we find ourselves living in. We can now get stuff done at all times (I will not use the word that starts with “A” and ends with “I” in this post). The act of unplugging from work is not something you need to apologize for, but it is also not going to happen by accident.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller
You are not just a provider of goods, services, and value and a receiver of money and compliments. You are a complex and integrated ecosystem, and can be led to cause great harm to yourself and others if you are not handled appropriately. Here are my opinionated thoughts on how to unplug from work before your burn out.
Decide and defend your hours
Pick a start time. Do not start work before it. Pick an end time. Do not continue working after it. Speed limits only matter if they are enforced.
Brick your phone
Buy a Brick (opens in a new tab). Add a “mode” that includes all of your work apps. When you are done with work, “brick” your phone. Do not “unbrick” until you start work on the next work day. If it is a Friday, do not unbrick your phone until Monday morning. If you are on vacation, do not unbrick your phone until you start work on the day you said you’d be back.
Use your vacation days
Look at the last time you took PTO. If it has been more than 60 days, request PTO for within the next 30 days. Request more than one day too, don’t be a wimp.
Hyperventilate
Book at least 30 minutes in your calendar for exercise 3 work days a week. Go for a run, do a CrossFit class, do 100 burpees. Do SOMETHING. You can’t think about Slack follow-ups while you are sprinting. Your brain and your body are connected, if one suffers they both suffer. Be sure to brick your phone and close your computer.
Eat Lunch
Schedule at least 30 mins in your work calendar to eat lunch every day. While eating, brick your phone and close your computer.
Have a screenless hobby
You are on a screen all day at work. That is enough. It will be there tomorrow, I promise. Read a book, cook, play soccer. Get off your screens.
Schedule “DNS” Appointments
For the first 30 minutes and last 30 minutes of your day, put a “DNS” appointment on your calendar. This stands for “Do Not Schedule”. The first 30 minutes you plan your day, the last 30 minutes you wrap up what you can and “put things on the tee” for tomorrow.
Decline meetings
If someone schedules a meeting that is before/after your working hours or conflicts with your DNS appointments, lunch, or workout, decline the meeting. You are not available.
Stop listening to podcasts and videos about work topics after work
Work is done. Stop working.
Stop being a narcissist
No one at work is thinking about you as much as you are. You’re not that important. I can promise that no one is lying in bed at night thinking about how quickly you respond to their Slack messages. If they are, forward them this post. They need help.