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Sample size of one, but yes, it is: Years ago I took my work stresses to bed, each and every night. Eventually I realized these stresses were feeding me to a vi

Sample size of one, but yes, it is: Years ago I took my work stresses to bed, each and every night. Eventually I realized these stresses were feeding me to a vicious circle: Stressed in bed, sleep poorly, fail to refresh, get less done - and do stupider things, get more stressed. Eventually I just flipped the switched and stopped it. I wish I could recall the moment (or period?) more clearly so that I could describe what I did well enough to make you believe you can do it too, but it was a long time ago, and I stopped worrying about it pretty soon thereafter. Will those stressors be there in the morning? Is there anything you can do about them in bed? Stop worrying. (And stop convincing yourself there is something you can do about them in bed, because you know very well that you need a fresh mind and a fresh perspective to do your best work. And you know very well you are not going to get those things worrying with your head on the pillow.) Rituals can help, such as commutes: Leave the office stressed, put things out of your mind as you go home. Be mindful of the sky, the clouds, the people around you. Make up stories about them. On the way in to the office, plan how you will evaluate the stressors. And use the "will ignoring this get me fired" rule for everything. That really helps with focus. (I still think for a living - but now I'm quarter-owner of a consulting firm - stressors now are ever so much greater, but my stress is generally less, because I segment and defer.)

ryanobjc 13y ago
One thing we know from studies is that when we effectively delegate work to someone else we trust, we no longer worry about it. The other thing we know from studies is that inside our brain we consider the 'future self' as another person - fMRI studies have shown that 'future self' is the same parts of the brain as we use to think about OTHER people. The result is if we trust the future self, we can effectively delegate to someone else - ourselves! I think when you figured out 'the switch' this is what you are doing. One exercise is to say to yourself "This is a problem for Future <insert your name here>". This is surprisingly effective! Of course this only works if you trust your future self's ability to remember... an organization system really helps here. It doesnt matter WHAT system, just that you know it will work.
- PeterWhittaker 13y ago
  Intriguing observation. I hate to use this term, but it "resonates" with me. I'll mull upon this awhile.... EDIT: I just realized that I do exactly this when the "usual tricks" don't work, invoking "tomorrow me" as needed. Talk about context-dependent recall - I don't think I've ever thought about that technique other than when I am using it. Thanks!

ryanobjc 13y ago

One thing we know from studies is that when we effectively delegate work to someone else we trust, we no longer worry about it. The other thing we know from studies is that inside our brain we consider the 'future self' as another person - fMRI studies have shown that 'future self' is the same parts of the brain as we use to think about OTHER people. The result is if we trust the future self, we can effectively delegate to someone else - ourselves! I think when you figured out 'the switch' this is what you are doing. One exercise is to say to yourself "This is a problem for Future <insert your name here>". This is surprisingly effective! Of course this only works if you trust your future self's ability to remember... an organization system really helps here. It doesnt matter WHAT system, just that you know it will work.

PeterWhittaker 13y ago
Intriguing observation. I hate to use this term, but it "resonates" with me. I'll mull upon this awhile.... EDIT: I just realized that I do exactly this when the "usual tricks" don't work, invoking "tomorrow me" as needed. Talk about context-dependent recall - I don't think I've ever thought about that technique other than when I am using it. Thanks!