What do you do after a long stressful day at work? How do you unwind? It's important to have a dedicated space where you can relax and reflect on the things going on in your life. When you are constantly running around and working, you become forgetful of the important things you were supposed to do. Scroll to read how you can create a "think space" for yourself.
1. Find an area in your home that you want to reserve for your relaxation
Try not to choose your existing spaces where you typically complete work. Mixing these two areas creates the illusion that you are still working and will have a negative effect on your overall mental health. Nobody wants to work 12 hour days. Your "think space" should be just that. You'll have a place where you sit, relax, and reflect.
2. Grab a glass of wine or play soothing music
Really get into a mode where you can put your brain at ease. You may be the type of person who prefers silence. That's fine as well. There are also people who enjoy watching random television shows that don't require a lot of thinking. They tune in for pure entertainment purposes only. Again, that's fine too. If that's what will relax you then by all means, do it!
3. Keep a sticky note and pen available
While you are unwinding, you will remember certain tasks or important due dates you need to be aware of. Write this information down. If it is not a dire emergency, address the list the next day. You can cross things out as you complete them. But, try not to sacrifice your "think time" to end up working for additional hours.
You have to protect your peace by all means. You want to be as productive as possible but an extremely high level of productivity for long periods of time will result in burning yourself out. Try to prioritize your time as best you can and make sure you are leaving room for you to take a breather at the end of the day. Repeating this method should help you create more structure, organization, and a better work/life balance.