If you want to make your life less stressful overall, addressing the stress that comes from the workplace is a good place to start. Our always-on culture has made it harder than ever to relax away from work, with constant pings and notifications keeping us on our toes. To limit the stress that work brings into your life, here are three practices from Joshua Zerkel, Asana’s head of global community, that may help.
First practice: set boundaries that make sense with your lifestyle and priorities. Some wellness influencers have adopted digital cleanses or quiet hours to disconnect from devices completely. Zerkel, however, argues that it’s not practical to turn back the clock and go back to the old days. Instead, Zerkel suggests that you intentionally carve out the moments that are important to you where having you don’t want to be glued to the phone. For instance, if you like going out and seeing live music, designate that time in your mind as a phone-free time. On top of that, it’s good to establish guidelines within the workplace and set expectations with your colleagues about when you’re online and available. That way you don’t need to worry about checking your phone all the time.
Second practice: disable notifications. In the U.S., smartphone users receive an average of 45.9 push notifications per day. That’s nearly 50 interruptions when we’re at work or with family. Best way to stop these interruptions? Disable notifications and check them on your own time.
Third practice: stick to using a single device. It’s impossible to stay on top of every device 24/7. Try committing to a single device, and don’t use anything else during the workday. Your relaxed brain will thank you later.
