Slowing Down at the Office

Ping…another email. Bing…another voicemail. Knock, knock…another question. Our brains are easily overloaded by every day office noises and interactions. We can mitigate the stress to improve productivity when we implement “slow down” time.

1. Planning: Productivity Partners shares that 5 minutes of planning saves 30 minutes of doing. This could simply be dividing and conquering project tasks, sending out team reminders and vendor checklists, or having a fresh pair of eyes proofread the final contract. Regardless of the project intensity, spend the time to slow down, think critically for a moment, and get focused for the day. There is nothing more frustrating than having to redo a project item after you already invest the time and energy.
2. Use lunchtime effectively: Lunch is fuel for the brain. Don’t try to hammer through all your to-do items during this quality time. Get outside for fresh air (oxygen to the brain) and eat healthy food (fuel the body). The cell phone has been charging all day and those calls can wait while you recharge your brain and body.
3. Exercise: Going for a light walk or head to the gym (either at lunch or after work) is the best way to release endorphins. When you release the endorphin chemical, it binds with the brain receptors providing you with a positive feeling (“runner’s high”) and also mitigates depression triggers. You can do this naturally through food as well (e.g. spicy food, smelling vanilla, eating ginseng or chocolate).

A critical part of your career is successfully managing your time, energy, and commitments. You have to break the cycle if you want to foster change. Start with slowing down in order to avoid catching up.

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