Do you recognize yourself in this? It looks like multitasking, but it's actually paying attention to several things that you ultimately don't finish. Because there's no time, energy, or desire...
Frustration from inattention
It may not be so easy to recognize, as we often confuse it with laziness. It is easier to "condemn" ourselves for laziness, because laziness is something that is inherently bad.
Try to stop for a moment and answer a few simple questions:
- I'm trying to start this job, but my head is still preoccupied with other responsibilities?
- I feel like putting off the job, even though I know I want to get it done?
- I'm mentally exhausted, even though I didn't do anything demanding during the day?
Tip: Try the Pomodoro technique. Concentrated blocks of 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest will draw you into focused work. This allows you to mentally separate work and short breaks, which can be used for a quick stretch or to finish a conversation with a colleague.
Restore capacity with what you already have
Your benefits are not just a simple reward for your work. Try to view them as a tool that will help you regain your lost focus. It is an investment in "restarting" your mind and consciously anchoring yourself in the moment when your responsibilities begin to pile up.
Where no one wants anything from you?
In a space where you are alone with yourself. Sauna, massage, a walk in the woods. Everything you do quietly and peacefully, without your surroundings giving you more questions or tasks.
Where can you switch off your mind and activate your body?
Sport. You don't have to rush to the gym and lift heavy weights. Although you can, if that's your preferred way of switching off. Exercise is the best way to quiet your thoughts and mind, activate your body, and let it do its work.
Where can you really relax?
Somewhere where they can show you that you are really tense. Not only the above-mentioned massages work very well, but also physiotherapy. A stiff neck or lower back pain are often physical manifestations of mental pressure. Although we have become accustomed to this discomfort, pain is not a normal condition – it is a signal from the body that it needs to release tension.
Where can you find other thoughts?
Anywhere that is not your usual environment. A short walk in the fresh air or even a weekend away is enough. Just make a to-do list and set a short-term priority that you know you can achieve. Send that email, write that message. Changing your rhythm or even establishing a new rhythm in your routine work can bring more order to your day than you might expect.
It always starts with awareness. That something is not right, that something is not working as it should. Or as you would like it to. This is where the journey begins, one that we have all been on at some point.
So take advantage of all the opportunities you have, with or without benefits—because concentration comes when you know how to achieve it. In your own way.
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