Dr. Melissa Read

Mary, Breaking large tasks down into small ones really does help chip away at them. Also, I'm glad to hear you are avoiding immediacy issues to the best of your ability. This will likely keep your energy and focus high. Dr. Melissa Read

Malerie, Yes, hobbies are a great outlet. Though we often have to put forth energy to maintain them, they can really take our minds away from our work. This can be helpful when we become too entrenched. Dr. Melissa Read

Mathias, Both methods help a lot. Walking with a nice cup of coffee can be great too, together with a colleague or just by yourself! Dr. Melissa Read

Michelle, Sometimes stepping away from it all is the best approach. It sounds like this works well for you. Taking some time for you and even just getting some fresh air can make a big difference on our outlook and how we respond to stress. Dr. Melissa Read

LATONYA, It sounds like you know yourself well, both your strengths and opportunities. That's a great place to start. Yes, go ahead and try to make small changes. Change doesn't have to be drastic. It's possible to evolve your approach for greater productivity over time. Dr. Melissa Read

Paul, Sometimes all we need is a little validation that we are moving in the right direction. I'm glad to know you found it here! It sounds like you are already doing so many things right. Keep it up. Dr. Melissa Read

Melissa, Wow, sounds like you have some demanding roles, a substantial amount of responsibility and very little margin for error. That's tough to manage. I hope you are able to find some good coping mechanisms to get you through it. Based on what you described, breathing exercises might be the best thing. Dr. Melissa Read

Robert, I know it's hard to change. Maybe you could slightly evolve your current method. Sounds like you struggle a little with immediacy. Maybe delaying a couple of low priority tasks every now and then will help you feel less hurried and allow you to enjoy life a little more. Dr. Melissa Read

Heather, It sounds like you are balancing a lot. At a guess, there are some fundamental things in your life that you've got to focus on daily. One example is childcare. However, there are likely other things that don't need to happen every day. Perhaps you should take a step back and look at the total landscape of your tasks and think about how they break down in terms of daily focus and longer term focus. Dr. Melissa Read

Andrew, That sounds like a healthy approach for you and the environment too! Biking is also a great way to meet people who share a common interest. Consider commuting together! Dr. Melissa Read