1440: 6 Steps to Unplug From Work by Christine Carter with Live Happy on Work-Life Balance

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[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01]: This is Optimal Work Daily.

[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_01]: 6 Steps to Unplug From Work by Christine Carter with LiveHappy.com

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Lately, it seems like more and more of my coaching clients have been asking for guidance with one specific challenge.

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Help me unplug.

[00:00:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Such was the cry for help that came from Donna Stokes, managing editor of Live Happy as part of the 90 Days to a Happier You project.

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Donna's life was typical.

[00:00:56] [SPEAKER_01]: She was spending most of her waking existence monitoring her email.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_01]: She'd begin each day by checking email at home before breakfast, which often derailed her morning routine.

[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Once she got to work, the emailing continued before, during and after meetings.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Lunch?

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: She'd catch up on email and then maybe take a short walk with her phone in case an urgent email or text came in.

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_01]: When I asked her for an example of what could be so urgent that it couldn't wait 20 minutes, she couldn't give one.

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Donna's email checking continued long into the evening once she left the office.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01]: For example, she'd check email on her phone while waiting for dinner in a restaurant with her husband.

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Sound familiar?

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_01]: If so, you too could use an email intervention.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Here are six simple steps to end your email addiction.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_01]: 1. Decide what you're going to do with all that free time.

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_01]: If you're going to spend less time monitoring your email and social media feeds and anything else that is constantly nagging you for attention,

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_01]: what would be a more productive or joyful way for you to spend your time?

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Donna wanted to spend more time doing focused, intelligent, creative work during the day,

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: and she wanted to spend more time relaxing, exercising, and hanging out with her husband before and after work.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_01]: You can motivate yourself to unplug by actually putting these things on your calendar.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Block off time in your schedule for activities like read with hubby and do focused writing or thinking,

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_01]: or whatever will motivate you.

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_01]: 2. Schedule two or three specific times per day to check your messages.

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I counsel many of my clients to check email first thing in the morning and in the late afternoon, and that's it.

[00:02:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Here is the key.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_01]: During those times, you'll need to block out enough time to get through new emails,

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_01]: and if possible, all the way to the bottom of your inbox.

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_01]: If a particular email is going to take more than five minutes to read and respond to,

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_01]: put it in a folder, maybe call it to-do this week, and add whatever it entails to a task list.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_01]: If you need X hours a day to deal with your email, make sure you've scheduled X hours daily.

[00:02:53] [SPEAKER_01]: 3. Turn off all your alerts.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Unless you are actively checking your email and messages,

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: you don't need to know what messages are coming in because you'll be devoting your full attention to something else.

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So turn off all notifications on your desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone.

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Vibrate counts. Turn that off.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Now do this for your text messages and all of your social media feeds.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Breathe.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Note, even if through the strength of your ironclad will,

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_01]: you are able to resist reading a message that comes in,

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_01]: if you see or hear or feel some sort of notification,

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_01]: your brain has still been interrupted by that alert.

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Even a millisecond-long hijacking of your attention will make you less focused,

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: more irritable, and less able to resist other temptations.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: 4. Hide the bowl of candy.

[00:03:39] [SPEAKER_01]: If you were trying to eat less candy, would you carry a bowl of it around with you?

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Would you put it on your nightstand and reach into it first thing in the morning?

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_01]: And then carry it with you to the bathroom?

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And then set it next to you while you try to eat a healthy breakfast?

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_01]: And then put it on your dashboard?

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't think so.

[00:03:56] [SPEAKER_01]: So keep that smartphone tucked away until you actually need it.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Think of it as a tool, like a hammer,

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01]: that you don't need to pull out until one of your strategically designated times.

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_01]: If you are a parent, make the adjustments you need to

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_01]: in case there's a call from your child's school or another kind of emergency.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Get creative.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Dig up your old-fashioned alarm clock,

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_01]: update your car's navigation system,

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_01]: and put that digital camera back in your bag for the times when getting a call or text

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_01]: will tempt you even if the sound, vibrate, and all the other alerts are off.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_01]: See note in step 3.

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_01]: 5. Tell people what you are doing.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Tell folks you are working with a productivity expert

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_01]: – that's me – and she's coaching you to find more focus,

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_01]: flow, and enjoyment at work and in life.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_01]: You'll only be checking your email at 2 or 3 set times per day.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Tell them you expect to be able to respond more thoughtfully to email this way

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_01]: and that when you're with them, you'll be fully present.

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Perhaps invite them to a smartphone-free lunch.

[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_01]: 6. Notice what happens.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_01]: It will not all be pleasant.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Notice the difficult bits with curiosity and maybe humor.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_01]: How do you feel during the digital detox period?

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_01]: How are people reacting?

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Your tension levels will likely drop and you'll be less stressed.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: How does this feel in your body?

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Really see the people around you now that you are looking up from your phone.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Smile.

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: You just listened to the post titled

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_01]: 6 Steps To Unplug From Work by Christine Carter with LiveHappy.com

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01]: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_01]: We're all marveled at how quickly kids learn

[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and that sense of wonderment they have while doing it.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_01]: But as adults, sometimes we lose that curiosity.

[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, if there's something you've been wanting to learn,

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_01]: know that therapy can help you reconnect with your sense of wonder

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_01]: because your back-to-school era can come at any age.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And make no mistake, therapy is for everyone.

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Whether or not you've been through significant trauma,

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_01]: therapy can be a great tool for setting boundaries,

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: learning new skills, and ultimately becoming the best version of yourself.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_01]: It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule.

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_01]: and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Rediscover your curiosity with BetterHelp.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Visit BetterHelp.com slash WorkDaily today to get 10% off your first month.

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_01]: That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash WorkDaily.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And thank you to Christine and the team at LiveHappy.com

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_01]: for letting us share this great content and future posts as well.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Live Happy takes you on a journey to find your authentic happiness

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_01]: in life, at work, and at home through inspiring stories and hands-on tips

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: rooted in the science of positive psychology.

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_01]: They are a national magazine, a website, podcast, line of gifts, and apparel.

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Their award-winning content offers in-depth features and the latest news on mindfulness,

[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_01]: health and wellness, gratitude, and resilience,

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_01]: all delivered through fascinating stories about people,

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_01]: whether they be celebrities, authors, or ordinary people with extraordinary lives.

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And like yesterday's author, their work is regularly featured over on Optimal Living Daily as well,

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_01]: so if you like this kind of content, I'd recommend checking out that podcast too.

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's going to do it for today.

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