A Step Back

We have talked enough of taxes lately, and surely will be doing so more over the next two months or so, so let’s take a step back today.  And let’s take that step back by talking about how good it can be to take a step back.

This idea came to me when looking at this article from NPR talking about how commuting can be a good thing. Of course, this headline sticks out as soon as you see it, for it must be a decided minority of people who really look forward to their commute. It’s a case where we mostly are thinking about the destination, not the (potentially long and arduous) journey.

But what the article discusses is how commuting becomes the liminal space between being at work and being at home and helps transition the mind between those two states. And this idea of having that moment to disconnect a bit, to leave the work stress behind, makes sense.

The traditional workspace provides this naturally, but we work with many small businesses where that can be much more difficult. In that situation, the difference between work time and personal time can be much cloudier because so much of your life becomes about your business.  Heck, your business and home space may even be one in the same. I am not here, however, to preach that this situation couldn’t work for some people. It is possible to have a level of drive where you can thrive being able to pick off tasks at all times of day and where that combination of work and home is a positive.

It is also possible, though, that you feel pulled toward never really checking out of work mode and it’s wearing you out. This definitely can be exacerbated, too, if you are doing your work at home and there’s no transition in and out of your workspace.

Now I don’t think (and the article doesn’t really claim) that there is something magical about the act of commuting itself. But there is value in just taking stock of where you stand and allowing yourself the grace to transition away from work if that’s necessary.  So that is what I mean here about the value of taking a step back.

We never perform best when stressed, overworked, and tired. Sure, you can knock off some tasks in that state, but they will take longer and not be done as well. So step back, check in with yourself, see how things are going and take a break when you need to. Keeping balance will keep you moving forward.

Warmly,

Josh Bousquet
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