Thursday, March 1, 2018

Stress Sanity

How to prioritize your to-do list and feel better about what you've accomplished

We’ve all been there, and for many, it’s a daily occurrence—facing down a daunting to-do list, both at work and at home. This can be especially true for working parents. So how can you keep your stress levels down, succeed at work, and enjoy family time—while still finding time to sleep?

4 Tips to Help You Achieve Stress Sanity

1. Set long term goals that you can measure your task list against. Otherwise, you will be temped to just get through your daily task list without considering if the tasks really line up with your priorities. You’ll basically be running in a hamster wheel.

2. Cut or delegate even just five percent of the tasks that don’t align with your long term goals. For example, if your long term goal is to complete your apprenticeship within five years while still being home for dinner with the kids at least three nights per week, then you may need to cut a few extra activities or evening commitments to do so.

3. Keep a “done” list. Humans always focus on what is incomplete and it drives us nuts—that’s why we get so upset when our show ends on a cliffhanger and they don’t renew it for the next season. If you only focus on your to-do list, you increase your stress. Take time to look back on and write down what you’ve accomplished—both at work and at home.

4. Take a break. Don’t skip family vacations, and try to find at least 20 minutes each day to spend with the family—without screens! It might be dinner. It could be a game of road hockey. But whatever it is, you’ll have spent some well-needed time with the kids and taken your mind off your to-do list for at least a few minutes. Bonus points if you also got some exercise!

Source: Harvard Business Review

Stress Sanity

4 Tips to Help You Achieve Stress Sanity

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