How to Make the Shift Out of Work Mode Easier
choosing, pairing, and building in accountability
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I have something to admit…no, to claim loud and proud: I love romantasy novels! If you’re new to romantasy, it’s a portmanteau for romance + fantasy. The genre tends to repeat tropes (badass female narrators, mythical creatures, etc.)—but they’re all tropes I enjoy, so I don’t mind the similarities across stories. Plus, I love a series, and this genre is full of them.
If you are also into romantasy, feel free to send me a note about your favorites, but if you aren’t into romantasy, don’t worry: today’s newsletter about reading is actually a letter about learning how to step away from work.
I’ve written before about my challenges with workaholic tendencies and doing “sneaky productivity” when no one was around to catch me working during my scheduled off time.
Working for myself and from home is amazing because I can set my own hours, which means in theory that I can take breaks as frequently as I need. But when I’m going through a busy season with multiple deadlines or a calendar packed with meetings, it can feel tricky to determine when it’s best to step away and when it’s best to schedule time to catch up or work ahead.
I feel this most acutely on the weekends. Because most of my week is dedicated to client calls and I’m still fitting in two occupational therapy appointments each week for my wrist and hand, I don’t always have extra time for admin or writing tasks between Monday and Friday.
Working for myself is also complicated in that reflection, planning, and project development straddle the line of personal and work. Writing newsletters takes a good deal of time, and while it’s fun for me, it’s also part of my job. Being a solopreneur (with the help of my amazing virtual assistant, Sabrina!) means that my efforts dictate how well my business does, and while I know time off is essential for my wellbeing, it’s easy to backslide into overwork.
Here’s where romantasy comes in.
Before we dive in, I want to note that there are important and nuanced conversations happening around this genre. I’m making an intentional effort to be less online, so I am not as up-to-date on those discussions or the actions of the authors themselves. I welcome you to chime in with any of your thoughts!
That being said, I’ve noticed over the last month or so that I’ve had an easier time shifting out of work mode when I have a novel I’m excited to read. While you might not be as enticed by enemies to lovers storylines as I am, I’ll share my process here for you and invite you to adjust it to fit your own off mode activities:
Make it easy to choose an activity
Pair your activity with a time or place
Set up an accountability buddy
Make It Easy to Choose an Activity
When the next book in my current favorite romantasy series (From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout) was taking forever to arrive on interlibrary loan, I decided to see what all the hype was about for one of the most popular romantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I’m listening to ACOTAR (as it’s often called) on audiobook, and it’s been so easy to pop open the app and hit play. I keep my print books on my bedside table so I can reach for them easily, along with my line-a-day journal, which is easy to complete each day because it takes me 30 seconds to fill out!
Pair Your Activity with A Place or Time
My spouse Kris and I often do separate activities on the weekends—and more often than not, one of my activities has been catching up on work in my office. Sometimes doing a little work is fine, but it’s been helpful to pair reading with Kris’s activities, like when they are running errands or cooking dinner. I also like to read my novel in the bath, and a couple weekends ago I read it outside on the porch when we had an unseasonably sunny and warm Spring Saturday. When I’m listening to an audiobook, I can’t concentrate on reading or writing anything else, so it’s been a nice thing to pair with taking Friday on a walk around town, tidying my home, doing stretches, or cooking a meal I already know how to cook.
Set Up an Accountability Buddy
I’ve been reading my romantasy novels alongside my friend, Katie. We text each other with updates on where we’re at in the books or when big drama happens with the characters, and we even had a Zoom date to chat about our theories on the storylines! Kris is reading The Priory of the Orange Tree to me out loud at night, and it’s a lovely way for us to limit our screen time and spend time together. By reading these books with others, I have accountability to keep up with the stories, because part of my enjoyment comes from chatting about the stories.
So, what about you?
Even if you aren’t into romance or fantasy or even into reading fiction, I invite you to get curious about how you might reach for an appealing non-work activity during your off time. How might you choose an activity that is easy to reach for, pair your activity with a time or place, and set up some external accountability, body doubling, or connection with others who are also into the same activity?
Have fun!
Curiosities
These are not ads or affiliate links; I just like this stuff!
I’ve been watching “The Pitt.” I did my undergrad studies at the University of Pittsburgh, so it’s fun to hear the characters mention the different landmarks and neighborhoods. I have cried during 90% of the episodes so far, so bring your tissues if you plan to watch it!
I go through phases of being really into a particular breakfast, and right now I’m back in my Breakfast Cookies phase. Here’s the recipe I use: Nutty Vegan Breakfast Cookies.
I love East Fork’s ceramics and am slowly building up a collection of dishware in their “Panna Cotta” glaze. I was excited to immediately purchase a mug in their seasonal “Yuzu” color, which is a yellowy chartreuse!
If you are curious about romantasy, The New Yorker’s Critics at Large podcast had an episode that talks about the genre and popular books, “How Romantasy Seduces Its Readers”.
Take care and talk soon,
Dr. Kate
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