You’re an accountant deep in tax season, a junior doctor in residency, or an entrepreneur juggling a startup and an actual baby. Many of us go through seasons of life when we have very little personal time. Others may be committed to jobs that regularly involve intense and long hours, creating a long-term lack of rest.
How to Get Through an Extremely Busy Time at Work
Many of us go through periods when we have to work intense and long hours and get very little time for rest. While this kind of overwork is not ideal, there are undoubtedly situations in which it becomes a necessity or makes sense. Here are some practical tips for surviving and thriving. Apply Premack’s principle: Use an easier behavior like running an errand as a reward for a harder behavior like writing a complex report. Compartmentalize: When engaged in tasks or parts of tasks you actually enjoy, make sure to focus on them exclusively. Try to not to fill every minute; save small scraps of time for mental rest. Add physical decompression rituals to your day, perhaps when you wake up, go to bed, or take a bathroom break. Last, pair pleasure experiences, like a favorite snack, with ones that feel more stressful.