Many of us work long insane hours. We stay up late at night, wake up early in the morning, and barely have time to grab a bite to eat. And though we may not admit it, we sometimes brag about it. There’s this strange sense of pride in being able to power through something.
But it also kills you. You lose passion, focus, and ultimately productivity, which was the goal of you working long hours in the first place. So be intentional about fun time. Take 5 minutes every hour to do something completely brainless, stupid, and fun. Or schedule an intentional break at the end of the day.
During college, I watched a lot of TV episodes online. I was going through several series at a time. So to help motivate me in getting my work done, I made a little reward system for myself. For every X number of pages I read or wrote, I got to watch one episode. Of course, I probably ended watching more TV than I should’ve, but I really got through those papers fast.
I also recently worked with a friend on a website. After a few days of working straight 10-12 hours staring at a computer screen, I finally said that I would only help if we scheduled in fun time. So we started going to the park or the beach for an hour or so every work day.
It may seem like a waste of time, but consider it a reboot for yourself. Clear your mind, get refreshed, allow your brain and eyes to rest, and go at it again. But it’s gotta be fun.