An author once wrote about the importance of emptying the mind as an antidote for stress.
It is easily said, and makes sense. Most stress is a reaction to some dominant thought. So why not push it out?
I used to carry my work around in my head long after the office closed. Often found myself trying to solve problems while the pastor was preaching. Or into the early hours of the morning while I was supposed to be sleeping.
Over time I came up with a rule: Only think about work when at work. Mainly because when I'm away from the office, there is far less that I can actually do to resolve anything, so most of my thinking resulted in fretting, weariness, and so a spiral of diminishing productivity and increasing crabbiness, depression, etc.
It was not easy. Building habits never are. It takes faith that things can wait. Now, if I do catch myself thinking about work after hours, I say "What are you doing? This is unhealthy. What can you think about that's healthy? And while it didn't take years to master, I can say that after years of practice I'm living more happily as a result.
The good news is that the mind can be emptied by force. Shove a dream in there during the day. Or watch a bit of T.V. late at night (I find it harder to sift through my thoughts without a physical distraction when I'm so tired).
This isn't just about a job though. It is just as useful with relationships, volunteer organizations and that upcoming dentist appointment. Train yourself to live in the moment, where you are, based on things that you can actively put your hands on and do something about. It can be a fantastic cure for those of us inclined to suffer future pain.
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