One of the challenges for any professional is turning off. If you are a doctor how do you stop thinking about your last patient or if you are a lawyer your latest deal. Work for professionals becomes all consuming. But that's not always good and we all need ways to wind down and turn off for a while.
One of the partners I worked with in a law firm once had to prepare a case to go to court in two weeks. It normally took at least 9 months. He was working all hours and was very stressed so he went to ask his doctor for advice. He thought for a while and then told my colleague to make sure he got home in time to have a large glass of red wine! No more or it would become counter productive, but enough to help put the pressure into context for a while.
I am not for a moment advocating a recourse to alcoholism as an escape - that would be a disaster. But finding a way to break out of the intensity of the work is important. It might be watching a television film or going out for a meal with your family or friends or even walking the dog - anything to remind us that there is life out of work at least for a short while. It's then much easier to go back to professional problems with a fresh approach.
One of the partners I worked with in a law firm once had to prepare a case to go to court in two weeks. It normally took at least 9 months. He was working all hours and was very stressed so he went to ask his doctor for advice. He thought for a while and then told my colleague to make sure he got home in time to have a large glass of red wine! No more or it would become counter productive, but enough to help put the pressure into context for a while.
I am not for a moment advocating a recourse to alcoholism as an escape - that would be a disaster. But finding a way to break out of the intensity of the work is important. It might be watching a television film or going out for a meal with your family or friends or even walking the dog - anything to remind us that there is life out of work at least for a short while. It's then much easier to go back to professional problems with a fresh approach.
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