As people struggle with extensive work hours, often juggling multiple jobs and trying to make ends meet, they may experience a long-term lack of rest.
At times when having a two-day weekend seems like a figment of one's imagination, and maintaining a work-life balance, resting and reducing stress seems near impossible, people do not need advice on taking it easy — as they know they should, rather they need practical tips for surviving their hectic schedules.
Here are some strategies from Harvard Business Review that can help:
1. Premack's principle
This entails rewarding yourself for a harder tasking by doing an easier one.
Alternating between the two will not simply make work easier; it will allow you to pace yourself while still being productive.
2. Compartmentalise
Many of us are familiar with the experience of finding otherwise fun tasks becoming tense and unpleasant experiences because we are tense, stressed and anxious.
To avoid this, allow yourself to enjoy your tasks if you know the task is important and you're approaching it efficiently, HBR advises.
"By articulating distinct, enjoyable aspects of tasks, you can be more mindful and savor them."
3. Save time for mental rest
Instead of trying to cram productive activity— like responding to an email or thinking through decisions— into any small crack of time, you should try to use brief waiting times for true mental breaks.
Take some slow breaths, drop your shoulders, and just chill.
However, if using small scraps of time to keep work moving sometimes suits you, keep doing it Monday to Friday, and on the weekends, you can give those little breaks to yourself.
4. Physical decompression
The human body responds to stress in numerous ways, many of which physically manifest themselves, for instance, walking or breathing faster or getting aggressive.
"Try using context triggers — deciding which moments in the day you'll use to physically decompress," HBR suggests.
"For instance, maybe you can take some slow breaths whenever you go to the bathroom, or just after you wake up or just before you get into bed.
"You can also use emotions as triggers, like when [you] notice [you] feel stressed, [you can] scan [your] body for tension and soften and release any spots [you] find."
Mimicking the physiology of someone who is relaxed will help you feel more relaxed in challenging situations.
5. Pair pleasure-pressure activities
Recurrently pairing simple sources of pleasure with stressful activities can help you manage your stress.
For instance, you could listen to podcasts during long boring communes or pack yummy lunches for work.