Did you take your body on holiday and leave your mind behind?
Just back from your summer break? Are you refreshed and raring to go?
Taking time out to recharge the batteries and relax is a no-brainer in today’s complex and high-speed business climate, but did you really have the break you deserve, or did you find it hard to switch off?
‘Energy flows where attention goes’
There are a number of reasons why some people find it hard to switch off.
- You can fly your body out to a remote tropical beach, and find your mind stays at work, refusing to let go of all the problems and issues that make your job what it is. If you really want to break away from work an activity holiday will keep your body and mind occupied.
The problem with beach type holidays is the amount of sun-worshiping you do. If you don’t keep your mind active whilst on holiday, it is likely to keep jumping back into work mode. It’s a habit – and the way to break it is to keep busy with an activity you can throw yourself into.
People who take activity holidays like surfing, climbing, riding, trekking etc are less likely to think about work because they have an alternative mental stimulation. Those who lie on the beach or by the pool are more likely to be thinking about their work.
- You have so many details to keep track of you are worried about forgetting some of them. This will cause you to keep mulling over your work to ensure you keep it in your mind. The consequences of forgetting something would impact your effectiveness.
- You don’t trust the people who are looking after things whilst you are away. You may even check your email daily with your Blackberry to keep track of what’s going on. The more you check the more anxious you get about the progress of work, and the more you check. This cycle of mistrust / check / mistrust may intensify as the days pass.
- You consider yourself indispensable. Well the graveyards are full of indispensable people – and the world goes on.
So what do you do if you really can’t stop your work from travelling with you on holiday? You can take an activity holiday, but there is no guarantee this will keep you 100% focussed on your holiday, especially if you are anxious about how things are going at work, or if you don’t trust those left in control. The answer is to change the way you think about your work and do something to change things if you mistrust the people in control.
When you are away from work things carry on. If you really are irreplaceable you need to do something to reduce the dependency on you. If you don’t trust others you need to question whether your evidence is factual or if it’s just a feeling you have.
If you just can’t stop your mind from churning over work problems then you need to break that habit and learn to relax.
Every professional wants to be effective and successful at work, but there are different ways of achieving and sustaining success. Some people seem to take it in their stride whilst others create lots of stress for themselves, and often for others too.
A little stress can be a source of motivation, but ongoing high stress levels are dangerous to your health. With today’s personal development techniques there is no reason why anyone should live with the stress of taking their work on holiday. You can re-programme your thinking, break stressful habits and take both your body and your mind on holiday next time.
You work hard enough – don’t you owe it to yourself to learn how to switch off when you want to?
To find out more about how we can help you, your team or your organisation overcome a lack of motivation, drive or focus, call us on 0870 762 1300.
