A under discussed factor in the work-life balance is how much time you spend thinking about work outside of work.
If work holds a large chunk of real estate in your head, how can you truly have a proper balance? Boundaries don’t just exist in the physical state (behind closed office doors) but in the mental realm as well.
When people think about thinking about work (very meta sentence) they tend to believe the only toxic outside work thoughts are ones of dread.
“Wow I don’t want to work tomorrow”- every Sunday.
But the work thoughts that I actually find detrimental are the ones where I’m thinking of solutions for work in my free time.
Currently, my 9–5 is just a means to an end. It’s not where I see myself in my dream life. So right now it’s a good way to pay the bills and buy me time. But that means my free thoughts should be going to what I want to do.
When I walk to clear my mind, or when I go on long drives with the empty road in front of me, I want my good thoughts to be allocated to my dreams. To writing and creativity.
When work creeps in instead it’s extremely frustrating. I wish I could charge the company dime. On a Friday afternoon I’d rather not be thinking about a solution to that random email from Janet in operations. It’s brutal.
If and when work thoughts take over there are two options. You can lean into them or you can tell them to shut up.
I prefer if they shut up. How about you?
