How To Balance Giving Yourself A Break While Still Being A Team Player
Many clichés exist for a good reason. For example, we’ve all heard the advice about oxygen masks on an airplane. People are told to secure the mask onto their own faces before attempting to help anyone else in need. This mindset is transferable all across your life. This includes your workplace.
Quite often, life on the job involves striking a tricky balance. You want to be a team player but you don’t want to run yourself into the ground. Of course, this is easier said than done. You may have a taskmaster for a boss or you may feel guilty if you slow down. Whatever the underlying reason may be, it must be challenged.
What Makes For a Good Team Player?
Obviously, this is a fluid, ever-evolving process. But, generally speaking, some firm guidelines exist, e.g.
Likability: Work is not a popularity contest but it can be a lot more fun and productive if co-workers get along. Optimism and a positive mental attitude can be invaluable in all facets of life.
Holding Yourself Accountable: Don’t blame others for your errors and never forget that the actions of one person will affect everyone on the team. A team player had integrity.
Committed to the Purpose: Whatever your goals might be, a team player is someone who believes in themselves and the people involved. This is not to encourage blind allegiance but rather, mutual support and purpose.
Adaptability: A good team player is not rigidly attached to a single way to succeed. They are open to trying something new. Part of this adaptability involves an understanding of the importance of breaks.
Why Breaks Matter
Anyone who works without breaks runs parallel risks. Most importantly, overworking weaken their mental and physical well-being. In addition, as every boss and supervisor should know, a well-rested workforce is more productive. In addition, employees who are encouraged to value rest time tend to:
Be more satisfied with their job
Feel more valued by their employer
Be more creative
Display more long-term focus on tasks
Make better decisions
Miss fewer days with illness or burnout
Take Efficient Breaks
For starters, if possible, take breaks together as a team. This keeps you all on a similar routine and may allow you to make the most of these breaks together. A few suggestions:
Do something on your break that feels much different from the work you are doing (ideally, it would rest one part of your brain while utilizing the other)
Organize a group activity like meditation or yoga or something light-hearted
Avoid talking about work during your break — especially negative talk or gossip
Become a Break Advocate
Talk openly to your team about the importance of maintaining a healthy balance at work
Meet with management to discuss ways to create a healthier work environment (including incentives for taking more breaks)
If you are a supervisor, lead by example by not overworking yourself
Take the Time to Explore Your Own Motivations
You might be feeling burnt out at work. At the same time, you might be feeling guilty about slowing down, pacing yourself, and taking more breaks. These conflicting thoughts for an open invitation to do some introspection. Questions like this offer a good starting point:
What is it about your job that is inducing burnout?
Are your feelings of guilt being imposed upon you externally or do they connect to something you’ve felt before?
Are you happy at work and do you like your co-workers and supervisors?
Is your work life negatively impacting the rest of your life?
Such introspection can be profoundly helped by meeting with a therapist. I’d love to connect with you soon about the benefits of anxiety therapy and how it can help you find balance.
