Blog Post 49: Unplugging
Unplugging is so important in our super-busy, tech-driven lives. Getting away from emails, texts, news, the constant barrage of information and demands that leave us over-stimulated and depleted is hard for everyone but especially people with Type C traits. It pains us to let go of the to-do list and all the other tasks that are on our minds. We hate the idea of someone needing us and not being there to help. So we stay pathologically plugged in and running around like the energizer bunny and rob our minds and bodies of the chance to relax and recover. This prompts our bodies to produce more adrenaline and cortisol which can adversely affect sleep, inflammation, digestion, and memory.
Here is a sample of how this looks for Type C’ers:
Working during vacation so as to not burden others with additional tasks
Checking the inbox obsessively to make sure nothing is missed/no one needs us
Checking emails first thing in the morning, last thing at night and anytime we wake up in the night
Not being able to enjoy going out for lunch, feeling guilty about getting back to the office
Not being present with family / friends due to work worries hanging over us
Not being able to read or relax on a weekend worrying that there might be something we are not doing for someone else.
Can we break these unhealthy habits? Here are some helpful tools and strategies. These may not be easy to implement at first, given how conditioned we are to leaping into action when someone needs us. But, with repeated practice, they become easier, and we learn to sit with the guilt that will arise when we focus on ourselves. It is important to remind yourself of the cost or even make a list when you don't unplug and give yourself time to relax and rest.
Create some distance with the inbox. Start by waiting 30 minutes to respond to non-urgent emails, and increase this if possible with your job. Establish a time at night when you will last check your inbox and stick to it; do the same for checking in the morning. Use the same strategy for texts.
Ask for help during vacations. We all want our colleagues to enjoy their vacations! We deserve the same. People are happy to cover for each other because the favor is returned. If the covered work is not up to our standards, work on letting this go as it’s only for a short period of time.
Practice worry time. If work worries are hanging around, set a specific window of time when you can come back to them. At the end of the day but not right before bedtime, set aside 10-15 minutes where you write down all little and big things on your mind. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do about this today. If you can do something, make a plan. If not, recognizing what you can and can't control is key here.
Remind yourself of the cost of not unplugging. Or even make a list of the times when you don't unplug, and ask yourself if there is a way to change that habit.
Above all, give yourself time to relax and rest!