You’ve probably heard how important it is prioritise your health and wellbeing and get off the merry go round. But how often do your give your self that time and space? Stop giving work your precious time and try making one or all of these changes and gain more for you. Need I say more?

STOP staying late everyday

Start with planning and scheduling one afternoon per week where you finish ‘early’ or at a more reasonable time. Then book a commitment to ensure that you actually leave. Dream about what you could be doing with the afternoon instead. For you it might be catching up with different friends each week for a coffee date, going to the movies, or even reading a book just for enjoyment from the comfort of your couch.

If you have kids and don’t have arrangements for their after school care, include them in your afternoon activity. For example, I would leave work at 3.30pm on a Wednesday afternoon and take my daughter to the park to play for an hour before the sun goes down. Our local park has an outdoor gym and bike track with road symbols and signs. I do an exercise circuit and she rides her bike around the streets – win win.

STOP putting off appointments

Do you find that half of your holidays are spent running from appointment to appointment? Living in rural Queensland, I have less access to specialists and it is unavoidable that holidays in Brisbane include some essential appointments. But regular appointments can be made after work or even the occasional Saturday (but don’t make a habit of it). Book your hairdresser for the afternoon you finish work early.

STOP working on the holidays

Along the same lines as above, don’t take work home over the holidays. The holidays are there for a reason – to take the time and space to recharge and refocus. I have seen friends who work in other industries face similar signs of burnout. They bank their annual leave in order to take a longer holiday in the future, but in the process fail to take time out from work and consequently pay the price down the track especially if they aren’t taking ‘mini-breaks’ throughout the year. Regular and long holidays are one of the perks of working in school – at least that’s what all of my friends tell me.

STOP feeling guilty

You are entitled to a life outside of work. Never feel guilty for taking steps to prioritise your own health and wellbeing at the expense of a few hours less at work. It can actually help you to work more efficiently and more productively by taking some time out.
Enjoyed this post? You might also like to try these simple steps for reducing stress.

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Feature photo by dnak