How to Stop Working Overtime Today - The Muse

How to Stop Working Overtime Today - The MuseHow to Stop Working Overtime Today I used to be that person I had my hand in everything at the arbeitszimmer. I took on all the projects. I stayed late. I welches always drowning in an endless to-do list, and everyone knew it. I considered myself the pillar unternehmensverbund up the roof and keeping the lights on. I ate at my desk and wore my high billables and exhaustion like badges of honor.Thats right. I was an office martyr.What I didnt understand then is that mora isnt more. Staying late and constantly piling more work on myself didnt make me more admired, give me skills to be a better marketer, or win me any friends. It just made me constantly tired and on the edge of burnout.Dont get me wrong Theres a place for being a go-getter. You should absolutely go after what you want, work hard, and prioritize productivity. Im all about productivity. But- take it from me- your life needs balance, too. Here are four steps to make the shiftSte p 1 Adjust Your AttitudeNothing will change unless you learn to do this first. I tried countless times to just set boundaries or take a lunch, but taking breaks or trying to delegate just added stress, because I was always adding on more work to compensate. I craved the feeling of being seen as the hardest-working and most-knowledgeable in the office as a type of acceptance and security. And so, I learned the first step to changing my habits was to change my value proposition. Repeat after me You are not your job. Try to find other areas in your life where you can channel some of your Type A or go-getter tendencies to help balance out your commitments and help build areas of your self-identity that have nothing to do with work.Step 2 Start Saying NoMost cases of office martyrdom Ive seen (myself included) arent a result of bosses or teammates piling on too much work. Most of the time, weve done it to ourselves. Weve taken on the burden to satisfy the part of us that isnt fulfilled u nless were overworked- and seen that way.Its OK to start small. Try saying no to a small extra project. Try saying no just to things that arent in your job description, like fixing the printer or proofing the investor report from start to finish. Guess what? I promise, you wont suddenly be the office slacker. The lights at the office will stay on. The walls will still stand.Like any habit, itll take time and practice to build- not just to get others used to your new response, but to feel at ease saying it yourself. So stick with it even if youre uncomfortable. Work up to the point where youre able to honestly evaluate your workload and make a decision on what new tasks to take on and what deserves a polite, friendly, I cant do that.If youre uncomfortable with flat refusal, it can be helpful in a team environment to offer alternatives. I cant do that in the timeframe youre talking about. What about by this date? or I can do that if we can move something else around. Can I turn in thi s other project by this alternate date? The important part is that youre completely honest with yourself and others about whats possible.Related How to Tell Your Boss No- Without Saying No Step 3 Embrace DowntimeTaking a break is good for you. If youre an office martyr of any stripe, that sentence sound like sacrilege. But trust me, anyone whos impressed by your didnt-even-go-to-the-bathroom-today dedication doesnt care about your well-being.Taking breaks actually makes you more focused and more productive Its a scientific fact. So, start building them into your schedule. If you can, get up and move around every few hours, and definitely take your full lunch break. Youre not slacking off- that lunch break is accounted for in your pay. You literally earned it. And dont forget to go home. I know everyones going to have a few late nights at the office here and there, but its not a late night at the office if youre always the last one out. Set an Im done time and stick to it. (This coun ts for freelancers and remote workers, too- step away from the computer at the days end)Step 4 DelegateAre you afraid things really will fall unbekannt if you dont do every item on your oversized task list? Then you need to delegate ASAP.Invest the time in teaching others your methods, but also get clear on what projects itd be OK for someone to do differently, so long as they still get done. Start small to build up your comfort level and trust the person taking over the task. While you should stay available for questions and feedback, do not jump back in. Are you telling yourself youll be everyones favorite colleague by handling so much extra work? Reality check Hoarding all the things for yourself is actually kinda selfish, and learning to give opportunities and credit to others is one of the best things you can learn to do as a teammate or manager.Yes, there will be legitimate situations when you need to put in extra hours and going home at a reasonable time seems impossible. And other times, there will be staff transitions that mean theres no one to delegate to. But in general, office martyrs need to accept that striving for work-life balance is not weakness and not a pseudonym for I dont want to be responsible. We can all understand that creating boundaries between work and the rest of our lives is healthy. Today, I not only believe that working smarter is working harder, I actually feel it. Embracing all the parts of me that make up a full life has made me a much better teammate, employee, and person.