2. SEPARATE JOB FROM HOME

While doing well at our jobs usually means job security, promotions, raises, etc., being consumed with our job on our off-hours contributes to our fatigue, our job dissatisfaction and our health problems. Tip Number Two is a biggee for many people: LEAVE THE OFFICE AT THE OFFICE!

Give your brain a well-deserved rest and DON’T bring work home unless you actually have to. In otherwords, think about your sweetheart, the kids, the pets, sports, the car, the lawn... ANYTHING other than the job. That may be difficult for the workaholics in the crowd and you may have trouble putting aside those pesky thoughts at night (especially since you’ve naughtily been giving in to them for years.) The trick, now, is to train yourself (yes, like “Fetch, Fido!”) out of them. First, however, realize that this is not, necessarily, a quick process. The time required depends upon your personality and how long you’ve been abusing yourself.

One exercise to try is to schedule home time when you will work on/think about your work-related issues. Immediately before starting write the topic on which you will be working on a piece of paper. Now, set the amount of time you will spend working on the project (1 hour, 2 hours, etc,) then stick to your timeframe. Now, come’s the hard part: when the allotted time is past, you’re done. Put up your work and, at the very last, pick up that piece of paper with the topic written upon it and make a show of setting it aside (thereby physically setting aside the problem.) Then leave this work space. (And never, NEVER work in your bedroom. Doing so trains your brain into seeing your rest chamber as a work zone.)

Many people will find that they can immediately "release" the problem (depending on how well you visualize the setting aside of the problem) while others may be able to do so only with practice and the use of other tactics. But don't get discouraged if it takes you longer than you are expecting. Keep at it and try different things if this exercise doesn't work. The end result will definitely be worth the effort.

3. MAKE YOURSELF WHOLE