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Thanks to the digital age, many brokers find themselves running a mobile office. But the ability to draw a clear distinction between work and personal time is important - both for your health and wellbeing
Technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand it allows you to run your business efficiently, even from the comfort of your home. One the other it removes the valuable buffer between your work and personal life, forcing you to engage in business at all hours of the day.
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So for brokers who find themselves with a fishing rod in one hand and a mobile phone in the other, perhaps now is the time to think about effective strategies to mentally ‘switch off' from the office.
WHY SWITCHING OFF IS IMPORTANT
Switching off from work is not about simply turning off your computer or putting your phone out of reach, it's about mentally tuning out from the demands of working life.
If you find that you have some of your greatest ideas when you're lying in bed quietly at night, it's probably because you're relaxed.
The best ideas and problem solving skills typically come to those who are relaxed. Relaxation allows the body to rebuild and your mind to recharge. By taking time out mentally, you open the creative side of your mind to new possibilities.
HOW TO DO IT
For busy people it can be hard to switch off. But you should know that mentally tuning out of work does not mean depriving yourself of all elements of social life like a mobile phone, internet or even connect with your work colleagues.
It simply means substituting your ‘work style' routines with different ones. For busy brokers, this may mean supplementing your time with non-work related activities, which will not only keep you occupied but will also exercise a different side of your mind.
If your work requires you to constantly be on the move, take the time to sit down and watch TV, for instance. Alternatively, if you feel your work day has been confined to the office, do anything but sit down when you get home - go for a walk, play with your kids, or organise a few drinks with friends.
Another technique is meditation. But if you find that a little too new-age, consider cranking up your favourite album and jamming along. Pick up that dusty guitar and try experimenting with a few new chords - this will enhance your creative mind, and relieve work-associated stress.
Not a music buff? Organise a golf weekend with close buddies - anything to break the monotony of your regular life patterns and routines. Even simply having something to look forward to and plan for - like a holiday - can help you to switch off from work.
Or do something challenging: enrol in a sporting tournament, go four-wheeled driving or hiking, or even try and beat your kids at Guitar Hero - anything so long as it has nothing to do with work.
By setting aside a certain amount of time each day to switching to a different set of non-work life patterns, you'll find yourself a much more relaxed - and peaceful - person out of the office, making the time you spend in the office all the more productive.
