Despite being reminded countless times that rest benefits our well-being, we still tend to push it back our schedules, choosing to prioritize work over leisure. So much so, that we feel bad about lying in bed all-day even if it’s a weekend!
Why have we discredited rest this much? We could say that it’s from societal pressure, which drives us to compare ourselves with our successful peers. When we notice that other adults in our age group seem more accomplished than us, we tend to push ourselves harder to be at their level.
However, as much as aiming high is a good trait, it can also be toxic. Comparing ourselves with others and neglecting self-care aren’t healthy ways to reach success, nor it is right in the first place.
That said, let’s learn how to properly manage our time and re-discover the value of having quality time with ourselves.
Set a Time Limit for Each of Your Tasks
This may sound like a recipe for self-pressure, but it really isn’t, once you get used to it. For example, allow yourself two hours straight for every report you make. In those two hours, you’ll stay away from all distractions, so you can focus solely on the task. Do this for all your assignments, and you may realize how early you can finish your day by just avoiding distractions and procrastination.
Create a To-do List
Identify your goals every day, and divide them into smaller tasks through a to-do list. That way, you can keep track of your progress daily, which can be motivating because you can see what you’ve already accomplished, and what remains.
Like the first rule, try to limit the number of tasks in your list, so you can finish within the time frame you’ve assigned for yourself.
Find out Where Your Time Is Being Wasted
No, lunch breaks aren’t and will never be a waste of time. Rather, browsing social media while working is, and so as making personal calls and exchanging gossips. While it can be fun to let loose at work, they aren’t helping with your productivity if they’re stopping you from completing your tasks on time.
Make the Most Out of Your Lunch Break
Eating your lunch under ten minutes so you can go back to work immediately isn’t how productivity works. You’re only beating yourself up in this habit. Instead, make the most out of the hour by eating more slowly, then reading, or taking a walk. A Latvian corporation called The Draugian group found that their most productive employees take the most breaks, so don’t be afraid of putting work aside when you need to!
Leave Work on Time
You don’t need to work overtime if your last task isn’t particularly urgent. If your boss expects you to work longer hours every day, try talking to them about your time management concerns. Besides, if they see that you always finish your tasks early, there shouldn’t be a problem with you leaving at 5PM or so.
Organize Your Chore List
It can be overwhelming to deal with chores after a busy day, but like what you do at work, you can also divide your chores into a number of smaller tasks. Set Saturday as a laundry day, for example, and just take your clothes to a reliable same-day wash and fold laundromat service. While waiting for your clothes, you can have brunch with your friends, or enjoy a good book by yourself.
Finding time for ourselves should be a vital part of our daily routines. Let’s throw away the mindset that we need to drown ourselves in work to be productive. From now on, let’s grant ourselves real rest, and go back to work rejuvenated and refreshed.
