How Busy Professionals Can Fit Relaxation into Their Schedules

While some say the trope of Americans being overworked is a myth, there’s no denying that there are professionals out there who devote too much of their time to their stressful careers. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being driven and working toward your goals. However, if you  do not take time out of your schedules to rest and recharge, it can have a negative impact on your overall health, happiness and future job performance.

Here are some signs a busy professional life may be negatively affecting you:

• You turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to “blow off steam” or relax.
• You find yourself procrastinating when you should be productive.
• You are losing sleep and feel fatigued during the day.
• You notice symptoms of depression and out-of-control anxiety.
• You are gaining weight.
• Your back and neck ache.
• Your relationships are suffering.

To prevent these problems down the road, it’s imperative to make time in your schedule to rest and relax. Doing so doesn’t have to impede on your busy schedule. Here’s how a lot of professionals find time to reset their minds and bodies so they can be at their optimal level at work while still making health and happiness a priority in their day-to-day lives:

Sit Down and Organize Your Finances

How much time do you spend every day worrying and going over your finances? Instead of having this habit sporadically distract you during working hours, get them in order so you only have to look over accounts and spending once or twice a week. When it comes to money, budgeting, prioritizing, and staying organized helps set you up for success. Get on a plan to pay off debt and improve your credit score if needed. Doing so now will put you in a better position should you need more capital down the road, so you won’t have to stress when that time comes.

Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier to Meditate

While nobody likes the idea of waking up earlier, doing so just 15 minutes earlier isn’t too difficult for most people to accomplish. Use that time to meditate. It’s a great way to center your mind and promote focus for the rest of your day. In fact, meditating is a healthy habit many of the world’s most successful people do every morning to help drive their ambitions by promoting productivity, creativity and business acumen.

Setting up a meditation space in the home makes it easier to start your practice. Just like how stepping into your office tells your mind that it is time to work, stepping into your meditation space tells your mind that it is time for stillness and reflection. Make the space comfortable and personal but also free from too many distractions. Over time, stepping into your special corner will be as second nature as walking into you bathroom to brush your teeth every morning.

Make Time for the People, Places and Activities You Love

Having professional and financial goals is great, but it’s not what life is all about. Spending time with your loved ones, seeing places you’ve always wanted to see, and getting lost in your favorite hobby won’t add funds to your bank account, but they enrich the soul. Even committing just a little time to those you love can initiate a surge of feel-good dopamine into your brain, which makes the rest of a stressful day go by easier.

Here are some helpful ideas on how to fit these imperative activities into your busy schedule:

• Have to stay late at work? Block off your Saturday and spend the entire day with family.
• Take time off for a vacation in a place you’ve always wanted to visit.
• Sign up for classes to pick up a skill you’ve always wanted.
• Join a sports league, club or meetup group for your favorite hobby.
• Take a few minutes out of your day to call someone you love.
• Stop by a market on your way home and pick up flowers for your significant other.
• Go to your favorite place in town and take a long lunch where you can just enjoy yourself.

If you don’t take time to relax and restore yourself, it can have a significant impact on your health, happiness and job performance. Getting your finances in order is one easy way to stay on track toward your goals and reduce stress. Many successful people credit daily meditation as a way to control anxiety and stress. But in the end, you have to take time for the people and things you love because that is what life is all about.