You want to be successful and are trying your hardest to climb the corporate ladder and make more money. You may feel a little rundown after years of being a hard charger. If you keep pushing, you run the risk of burning out. There is a balanced solution. You can slowly disconnect and unplug from your hectic schedule, while still being viewed as a top performer.
Disconnecting from work is mission-critical to your mental health and emotional well-being. This doesn’t mean you’re going “cold turkey.” Instead, you’ll be setting life and work boundaries, taking microbreaks and creating friction to help ease into having some downtime. You can allow yourself to not feel guilty by being away from the office and literally unplugging from back-to-back video calls
Let your boss and co-workers know that you require some downshifting. They’ll hopefully understand and respect your transparency. Tell them that you need some space. Assure them that there is nothing to worry about, as you’ll be around if there is a dire emergency. In fact, make sure you’ve made your projects, assignments, calendar and client meetings available for all the relevant parties to see and follow up if necessary.
Pulling The Plug
Once you’ve made it clear that you’re taking some “me time,” relax. Use the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your phone. Take the time to decompress. Do something that you enjoy. It could be going for a walk, hike, swim or bike ride, working out, attending a concert or sports game or just listening to your favorite podcast. Try incorporating mindfulness, yoga, meditation or an exercise regimen into your daily practice to destress. Set up a quiet space in your home.
Place obstacles in your way. If you log off your laptop and lock it in a drawer, the odds are high that you won’t bother to get it out. An aggressive move would be to mute any productivity apps that rope you back into work mode.
Find ways to automate repetitive tasks by incorporating artificial intelligence to free you from the grunt work. Rely on out-of-office messages and direct people to your counterparts. Stop worrying and start trusting others to handle matters in your absence. Your work friends, co-workers and managers will backstop any problems. Presumably, you’ve built a solid reputation due to your strong work ethic and consistently exceeding expectations.
The Difference Between Unplugging And Quiet Quitting
Unplugging or disconnecting from work is necessary to recharge and relax from years of running full speed. That time away will help boost your productivity and engagement. The TikTok-inspired memes, such as quiet quitting, acting your wage, loud quitting and committing to Bare Minimum Mondays, are different. These activities are purposely trying to subvert the company and boss. It’s a “poke in the eye” protest—similar to a toddler throwing a tantrum.
The loud and quiet quitting crowds come across as employees who don’t want to do their jobs and complain when the manager requires them to finish their work. These employees have mentally checked out, but are not looking for employment elsewhere. They simply take advantage by coasting and hoping the supervisor will look the other way. These workers are just doing enough to get by to continue earning a paycheck.
Source: Forbes
