Over the last few years, with a lot of jobs now going virtual, and working from home and with the raise of Zoom and Microsoft teams. It has created more and more meetings that are now back to back, especially for anyone in a leadership, management role. Don’t get me wrong virtual communication platforms are amazing. However, we need to be more conscious of the time we spend on them.
A number of staff predominately management have made complaints in regards to the length of meetings and having meetings that are back to back without the chance of having breaks. Staff now are more comfortable with the term I’mhaving a ‘working lunch’ which is becoming a norm. However, this working lunch is not healthy at all. We need dedicated time and space to come away from work. Sometimes staff are so engrossed in working to deadlines and timeframes, they are afraid to take a lunch break, even if it’s for 30mins, and we know how fast 30mins can go when having lunch. By the time you take your phone out and have a nibble it’s time to go back to work. However its important you take this break.
Its self-care week this week in November and I’ve been encouraging staff to take that time away from the workstation. It’s essential we come away from work and have the break we deserve. The work will always be there, but it’s like we are programmed that we don’t have enough time in the day. Don’t get me wrong I am no stranger to this, and after a burnout I realised for once how fast we are working. We have to make our breaks a priority. We have to demand them at work and promote your self-care break time at work. Management tend to mention to me that there isn’t enough time in the day, I’venever understood this concept as you always have the next day if things are not complete. Furthermore if they are not complete it’s a process of time management, and I don’t mean working after work hours.
It’s going to need you being selfish with your time, placing boundaries and looking at your capacities at work. Being honest with work and not feeling ashamed or pressured by work to deliver when you actually need a break. The amount of stress this causes in the long run is dangerous to our wellbeing. Since its self-care week let’s start this month to slow down and think more proactively in regards to our meetings.
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