Disconnect to de-stress

Stress seems to be a common consequence of today’s wired world. Even the thought of establishing the cliché work-life balance can cause migraines. When you add a BlackBerry and an inbox overflowing with e-mails, the distinction between professional and personal time often disappears.  

However, it isn’t technology that is causing the problem; it’s human behavior. Staying connected to the office is convenient, but being constantly connected is not healthy or productive. Just because you received an email at 10 p.m. doesn’t mean you should respond to it immediately.  

 

I recommend these steps to disconnect and take a much-needed break from the office: 

• Be firm about acceptable times to send and respond to email. 

• Silence the e-mail notification feature on your phone. 

• Manage e-mails by reading a message once, then file, flag, delete or replying. 

Do your best to use your weekends and vacations to completely unplug and recharge. Disconnecting is your opportunity to reduce stress and rebalance in preparation for your next great accomplishment.