“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.”
Bertrand Russell
Here is an excellent set of tips on maintaining a balanced life between work and play:
If you don’t set limits and work in a balanced way you can become drained, overworked and in the end even burn out for quite some time.
So what can you do about this serious challenge? Well, I do not have all the answers.
But I have some. I have found a couple of things that work well for me. If I do not do them regularly I tend to become cranky, feel drained and my thoughts tend to become more pessimistic. But when I stick with these habits – which is fortunately most of the time by now – I can maintain a balance that allows me to do good work and feel good.
1. Set your clear boundaries for the day.
This is extremely important, at least for me. I have to have limits to properly balance work with relaxation.
So I do not work after 7 o clock in the evenings. I do not work before 8 o clock in the morning.
2. Do not work on weekends.
I try to stay away from the usual impressions and routines during the weekend. I usually take one media- and internet free day. I rarely check my emails on Saturdays or Sundays.
Instead I spend time with my girlfriend, friends, family, a good book or movie or I do some other fun activity.
3. Handle the 3 fundamentals of energy in a good way.
If you have read any of my books you have probably heard about these 3 fundamentals. They are quite obvious but if you manage them well then life and work become a lot easier and lighter to handle.
The three fundamentals are: getting enough sleep, eating well and getting enough exercise.
4. Listen to yourself.
When you become more irritable, start to feel drained, tired and creativity plummets listen to that. Do not plod on straight into the brick wall.
Instead, schedule more time to take care of yourself. Instead of running off with your regular routine after school or work, take the time you have for yourself and spend much of it on yourself. Just stay in bed with a book for the evening. Or go out for quiet walk in nature. Do something you know relaxes and recharges you.