My thought processes usually become quite active as I lay down in bed, just before sleep. At times, I write my thoughts on paper but sometimes they just want to keep me up and about. I have struggled with this over the years because my mind is a ‘problem solving machine’. A key difference between me and the next person is that they may know ‘when’ to detach. For instance, bedtime is not the time to problem solve, but I let my mind do it because I find problem solving meaningful and get satisfaction from it. I just need to remind myself that there is a time and place for problem solving. But what if we wake up carrying the previous nights worries into the morning?
Recently, I didn’t sleep too well and woke up early stressing about work and the new stage 4 mandatory restrictions. It meant I had to adapt to changing circumstances very quickly. No doubt many have felt similar in their workplace. I found the combination of uncertainty, change and meaning led to a lot of anxiety. What did these changes mean for my future? What did they mean for my work? What did they mean for the future of my work?
I realised I was working myself into a spin of what ifs. I knew I had to detach from my thoughts surrounding work, otherwise I would cause myself too much unnecessary worry and anxiety. Anxiety acts as an indicator of what is meaningful and purposeful in our lives. It also shows us when we are taking certain things too seriously. My psychologist once showed me that anxiety is like a tachometer. We need it in the right portion, but it is when the meter pushes too far is when it has an adverse effect on us.
Detachment is a tool we can choose when anxiety is becoming too strong. I had to accept that my thoughts were simply that- internal phenomena that would come and go. I couldn’t completely detach from my thought processes, beliefs or current situation because it would mean I would have no feelings. However, I realised that I could detach somewhat emotionally from work while still doing a good job. In fact, if I invested too much emotion, my role at work wouldn’t be nearly as effective as if I had detached because I’d be crippled with anxiety and worry. Detachment does not mean void of emotion. It just means you give yourself space to see the problem clearly and gain perspective.
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