Read This If You Have Trouble "Relaxing"

I was miserable.I just took a day off.I was "trying" to relax all day.All I could think about were all the things that needed my attention.I spend a lot of my time thinking about identifying important things and getting them done.Don't laugh but this is hard for me.Of course, most of the work will be there when I return to it--and without any real consequence.But sometimes, there are things that will break if you don't attend to them.Getting through the anxiety of not fixing them requires reminding yourself of the consequences and accepting them.Only then, will the voice in your head be quieted and you will be able to focus on being present.

It's a comparison.

Either you can let go of the work and focus on yourself, or you can let the work take your attention until you let it give you a break.It won't.Your call.

2 Minute Action

What's giving you the most anxiety today?What are the top items on your worry list?What will happen if you don't alleviate them today?Tomorrow?Take 2 minutes to meditate on the consequences.This part is up to you. If you can accept the consequences, it's easier to give yourself permission to rest.If not, you might just be anxious until you make the time to resolve them.

How To Find Your Optimal Productivity Zone

The Comfort Zone

Where things are predictable, safe, and boring. It’s unlikely you’ll grow here, because there isn’t enough stimulation. 

The Learning Zone

Where your senses are heightened enough to absorb new information, and things are exciting, challenging, and new. This zone is right on the edge of anxiety but not quite there, yet. It needs to be close enough that all of your senses are stimulated and online, but not so close that you're incapacitated.

The Panic Zone

Where things are tense, frustrating, and exhausting. Symptoms of living a life in the panic zone might be chronic stress or anxiety, freezing up when looking at your task load, and constantly feeling like your life is in chaos or out of control. "Fire of the day" management style creates a work environment in the panic zone.

Get it?

Everyone is different. It's up to you to figure out how you're feeling and responding to your work.By understanding yourself better, you can make decisions about the work environment you put yourself in and the people you surround yourself with.It's up to you to know enough about yourself and TAKE ACTION to put yourself in the best position for success.No one else is going to do this for you!Not your boss, project manager, your mom, no one.

Where did this come from? Did you just make this up?

No, I didn't make this up.This is based on Vygotsky's Proximal Zones of Development, coined sometime circa the 20th century.

2 Minute Action:

On a scale from 1 to 10, how anxious are you at work?1 would be bored and 10 would be tearing your hair out.If you're between a 1 and a 5, you're in the comfort zone. You need to step it up if you want to move forward.If you're at a 6 or a 7, great! You're pushing your comfort level which means you're learning and growing.If you're consistently at an 8 or higher, you may be at risk for chronic stress, which has a bunch of nasty side effects.If your work environment changes a lot, like mine does, you may want to consider setting up an iOS or Android reminder to do this exercise every couple of weeks. You might find that you're stressed out no matter the environment, which would suggest that you need to work on some personal growth--or you might find out that there's really nothing exciting about your job, even at it's best.This isn't a cure-all, it's just a tool you can use to improve yourself.The point isn't for me to keep hitting you over the head with this stuff, it's for you to start asking yourself how you can use these tools/insights in your own unique life.

This Secret Advantage Might Change Your Mind About Being Anxious

Dry mouth.Sweaty palms.Obsessive hair twirling.Anxious nailbiting.Have you ever felt this way while walking into an interview?

Here's the secret advantage that might change your mind:

Interviewees have an interesting, mostly unseen advantage.The interviewer is sitting at the other end of the table thinking: "please, let this be the one."The interviewer has gone through a hundred resumes.They've already done 99 interviews.The interviewer wants the interviewee to be amazing!They're already biased because they just want to be finished with the painful interview process!If interviewees knew this, they might be a lot less nervous about the approach.The interesting thing to take away from this is that it doesn't stop at the interview.Most people want to see other people succeed. Whether for noble or vicarious reasons, I don't know.Most people root for the underdog, love a good come-up story, and generally want others to do well.The cool thing is that other people includes you.Now if only everyone would start their day knowing this . . .

2 Minute Action:

What's one way you're lucky?What's a decision you're glad you made?Can you write it down and post it somewhere for a week?You might be surprised at how such a little reminder can impact your attitude and output for the day.