No matter how much you love your job, everyone needs a mental break from time to time. With the rise in constant communication software for work, like Slack, email, texts, zoom -- it's easy to fall into the trap of never getting out of 'work mode'. Though self-care is touted more and more frequently as of late, work culture has not caught up and many work environments continue to be high pressure and demanding. Even for those who do attempt to step away and check out (when appropriate) it can be difficult to avoid feeling like you're missing out on important organizational information, or that you may be risking your chance of upward mobility by not being "on" all the time.
Answering each message, text, or slack can often mean multitasking, which is something that can be incredibly difficult to do for any working individual, but certainly for someone with a cancer diagnosis. This also means less focus which results in less productivity. Additionally, it can lead to stress and burnout, which can negatively impact your work quality and your health.
Fast Company published an article focusing on what is coined "digital mindfulness". It may sound like an oxymoron, but according to certified workplace mindfulness facilitator and CEO of Zesa Wellness, Ashley Hardcastle, it's meant to be thought of as a state of being rather than a formal approach. Incorporating more of these practices will result in many of them coming naturally.
The article mentions a number of approaches and techniques to incorporate digital mindfulness into the workplace. Below we've highlighted the ones that were particularly salient for working people with cancer.
Set boundaries with your colleagues (and yourself). If you've ever read or listened to any of Cancer and Careers' materials, you will know that we promote the use of boundaries as a tool to be more productive as well as more mentally in control. In this sense, you want to make sure you are clear regarding the hours you are working, and when you are not. While this can feel challenging, as boundary-setting in any area of life often is, it's critical for maintaining a sense of control over your time and energy. For more ideas on how to set boundaries in the workplace, be sure to register for our webinar on Setting Boundaries in October and check out our article on Setting Professional Boundaries.
Incorporate microbreaks. Small breaks, whether it's a walk to get water, a stretch break, or a walk around the block, can help to reset your mind, attitude and energy, all of which can create a healthier work/life balance. Our article on Your Mindset also provides some approaches for resetting and feeling more comfortable at/about work.
Use tech tools to your advantage. This also may sound counterintuitive but much of this technology comes with settings to aid in avoiding overstimulation, though it's something that needs to be explored individually. Step one can be as simple as setting your work hours on your slack or email so that anything that comes in outside of those hours will be muted until you sign back on. Or if you really need to focus on a project but keep finding the notifications distracting, set an away message letting people know you're not currently available. Our article on Setting Yourself Up for Remote Success offers some helpful insight and ideas for managing your time and energy when working remotely, as remote work is heavily reliant on technology.
Cancer and Careers is here to help with identifying ways to best balance work and cancer. If you'd like to speak with someone directly on how to implement practices for mindfulness, feel free to reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org to arrange a time to talk.