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Stop Working So Hard
Owning and operating a business is the best way to fill up every hour of your free time. Even when you aren’t sitting at your desk your mind is still contemplating your next action, thinking about landing your next project or developing new marketing ideas. Sometimes it is hard to “turn it off” and today I still have that problem although I am able to recognize it and consciously distract myself from thinking about it. It is like running an engine for 24 hours a day until it eventually over heats or burns out. This applies to employers and employees alike (at least those employees that enjoy their jobs). Here are some tips on decreasing your working hours, both physically and mentally, and some other ways to start enjoying your personal life while maintaining a successful career.
Occupy Your Mind
The best way to get your mind off of work is to find something that really occupies your thoughts and makes it impossible to ponder anything else. For me writing music is the cure because it takes so much concentration. For others it could be anything - playing games, watching movies, gardening, spending time with friends and family, a deep conversation, etc. As long as it stimulates your mind so that you can’t day dream about working.
Get Away from the Industry
My average day is eight hours spent in front of a computer screen during work. Even after that another two or three hours is spent in front of a computer while I watch movies on NetFlix or videos on YouTube. I may not be working but the burn of that screen sure makes it feel like I haven’t moved all day. If you are able to, get away from your entire industry when you are trying to relax. A novelist shouldn’t write, a designer shouldn’t design and a developer shouldn’t type. Whatever environment you are in should be altered as much as possible to give you a jump start into a different mindset.
Exercise
This is the best way to get rid of the stress from the day. We all know exercise is necessary and the greatest remedy for all ailments, but it also seems to be the hardest activity to accomplish. Scheduling exercise into your day as if it were a necessary meeting with a client or a project with a deadline can keep you on track so you know exactly when you will start and stop. With the release of serotonin into your body you will automatically feel happier and less stressed…plus the whole healthy heart/longer life thing.
Avoid All-Nighters
After one of our first larger-sized projects in our first year I learned the valuable lesson that working 12-16 hour days does more harm than it does good. I cannot count how many times I struggled with a development problem for hours on end, only to sleep on it and solve it within 30 minutes of waking up. Sometimes I read about freelancers, designers and developers pulling and “all-nighter” to get a project done. While this may sometimes be necessary I have found that my work suffers when attempting this (especially falling asleep on the keyboard and having to delete the string of “ffffffffffggggggggggg” across the screen). Sleep deprivation is not only unhealthy physically, but it is harmful to your creative ability, analytical thinking and overall ability to enjoy your work. Not only will your work during the AM hours become sloppy, but your entire next day will be ruined from being so tired. Avoid all-nighters!
About the Author
Josh has been developing applications and Web sites for the past 10 years. He has received college-credit courses at Villa Julie College in Computer Information Systems, Howard Community College in Business Entrepreneurship, and has completed the A+ Certification program at UMBC. His background in development includes content management systems, real estate listing updates, data embedding, merchant services integration, e-commerce and desktop application development. Josh has had the privilege of working with local, national and international companies including the Wall Street Institute, Care Improvement Plus, Signs By Tomorrow, Pazo Restaurant, St. John Properties and Bin604 among others. His free time is spent playing video games, writing music and raising his dog, Butters.
