Do you have this problem?
I can’t work halfway. On these summer days, I want to spend a few hours working, and then take advantage of my family being home from school. But my mental state seems to be binary: either I’m in vacation mode or I’m working; even when I walk away from my desk, once I’ve turned on work-mode, I’m “on” for the day.
I guess it’s like swimming. I always say, the best way to get into the water is to jump in all the way; then, you’re wet top-to-bottom and you don’t have to deal with “getting used” to the water, a bit at a time.
For my work, I’m trying to wade into my knees, enjoy the water, and then get out and dry off. It’s a challenge, but one I keep trying.
Today, I’m doing a mind map of every project currently on my plate. But I’m not going to take an action on any of them – just making the list and walking away.
Like anything else, I think this will get easier with practice. So I’m committing to practicing this balance, this wading in to my work without immersion.
How do you find that balance?