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If you’re doing this, you’re on the path of burning out 🤐

Yesterday I was talking to my mother. She was going on about how much work she has to get done before the festivities begin. That’s when my father said in the background, “But there will always be more work. Rest for a while.”

And I could relate to that. With remote work, there’s always an email to respond to, a call to get back to, a project report to finish, and ugh meetings to attend.

We are finding it more and more difficult to disconnect from work. Even when we’re on a walk, we think to ourselves, “Shouldn’t I have spent this time being productive?”

If we’re constantly finding even a small disconnection from work as unhealthy, we’re on the path of burning out.

So, here are two things I have picked up to stop this cycle of productivity shame and know that I have done enough:

  • I detach myself from work at the end of the day. When I shut down my laptop, I say out loud, “My work is done for the day.”
  • I changed my definition of productivity. Instead of doing a million low-value tasks to just get 50 things off my to-do list, my Brutask list contains just 2-3 high-value activities. I am busy but I am busy doing the right things

Can you add a 3rd point to this list?

Love,
Siddhita ❤️

  1. 2

    One more is to make sure to set aside some time to hang out with people not online at least once or twice a week. Just remembering that life/society has a natural cadence and rhythm that isn't the always-on web is a nice thing

  2. 2

    Good post! First point is one of Cal Newport’s Deep Work strategies, right? I find that strategy — closing the laptop and detaching — to help me remove myself from the work day, but also be more productive during the day.

    Another thing I like to do is, instead of spending 20 minutes of downtime in between meetings or tasks meandering and staying logged in, I step away to take care of another task: laundry, cooking, etc. Great way to clear my mind and come back ready to tackle the new task at hand.

  3. 1

    Well said. Many people get confused with busy work and think they must always be doing something. I know that when I am lucky enough to do 2 hours of deep work a day, I get more done than many people do in a week.

  4. 1

    The productivity falls down in the long run if the work is not related to nor accompanied by physical exercises, so I would add some stretching, yoga or aerobic load in between tasks or groups of tasks.

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