“Don’t go anywhere near Jim’s office today, he’s on a rampage.”
You’ve no doubt heard that, or something similar. The phrase comes up when someone is having a tough time keeping their personal life separate from work. With social media dominating our lives these days – chances are everyone already knows why you’re on that rampage. We are constantly tweeting, posting, sharing, and Instagram-ing. We have no limits to what we share and it can cause parts of our lives to cross unintentionally.
We often forget that our personal life deserves to be private. And depending on what you do for work, it’s really difficult to not bond with your coworkers.
Take my job for example: I’m with my coworkers more than I see anyone else in my life, including my boyfriend. When you’re around the same group of people that much, it’s effortless to become friends outside of work as well. It can start with happy hour drinks after work, then suddenly you’re 87 weeks deep on their Instagram.
So when that line starts to blur – here are a few tips to draw that distinct line again.
Skip the details on social media.
The photos you post and your Twitter tantrums allow your coworkers to see what you’re up to outside of work. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, but if you want to disconnect from work a bit, then pump the brakes on your social media. Creating separate accounts strictly for your work friends saves you from having to explain anything to your fellow staff the next day.
Take time for yourself, your friends, and your family.
As tempting as it may be to hang out with your coworkers after work or go for a lunchtime latte every day, there is nothing wrong with treating your mother to coffee, meeting your roommate for happy hour, or even making it date night with a significant other. Your family will appreciate it. And You will enjoy their company a lot more than sitting there with your coworkers bitching about work…outside of work.
Unplug.
When you’re in bed at night, PUT YOUR CELLPHONE DOWN. It gives you time to disconnect and clear your head from the day’s stresses. Nobody likes be kept awake by the scrolling to-do list in your mind for the next day. We need as much beauty sleep as we can get. After all, the days only seem to get longer as we get older.
Keeping your work life separate from your personal life is difficult, but something we should all strive for. Your coworkers don’t need to hear all the gory details of your last stomach bug and you deserve a break from work with the amount of time you already dedicate to it. So, take a deep breath and enjoy your personal life as often as you can and your work life when you should. It’s better for your mind, body, spirit, and your coworkers.
