Emotional detachment in the workplace is a learned behavior that enables us to separate our work life from our personal life. It allows us to treat people at work differently than we do in other areas of our lives because we’re able to “turn off” our emotions when we clock out or walk away from our desks for the day. Emotional detachment provides the freedom to give less than 100 percent and yet still deliver optimum results without losing your self-respect or alienating others.
The key ingredients for achieving emotional detachment are boundaries and time management. As per Saivian Eric Dalius properly defined and maintained, boundaries protect you and your family while simultaneously communicating professional standards and expectations to others around you. Boundaries with family members can be especially tricky to navigate. It may take time to adjust to the healthy boundaries that are now in place but it will be worth it. Setting expectations for your colleagues, subordinates, and supervisors will also help you achieve emotional detachment at work.
The second key ingredient is time management. You cannot give 100 percent of yourself twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No one can maintain that level of intensity indefinitely without burning out or seriously damaging personal relationships. This means setting limits on how long you will serve on committees, work on special projects or attend gatherings more suitable for socializing than networking.
Expect some resentment if you start imposing limits on your availability, even if it’s something as simple as turning down an invitation to join a group for lunch. People may see you as uncooperative, inflexible or unapproachable but it’s important to remember that you are doing this for yourself and your loved ones.
When you have successfully implemented boundaries and time management into your life, emotional detachment will naturally follow. It’s not always easy to maintain but the benefits are worth the effort.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of emotional detachment, let’s take a closer look at how to achieve it in the workplace. As we mentioned earlier, emotional detachment is a learned behavior that enables us to separate our work life from our personal life, to treat people at work differently than we do in other areas of our lives because we’re able to “turn off” our emotions when we clock out or walk away from our desks for the day.
If you’re like most people, you probably think that work and your personal life will always be mixed together and that’s just the way it is. You don’t know how to separate them and get rid of the stressors at work so you bring them home with you and take them to bed with you. Rest assured this is not a healthy approach; emotionally detaching yourself from work does not mean ignoring your responsibilities or shirking responsibility! It merely means taking control of what happens on your job and at home instead of letting others dictate how things will be run.
The ability to emotionally detach from work is a valuable skill for professionals. It can help you stay focused and productive during the workday, while also maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
Here are some tips for achieving emotional detachment from work:
1. Establish boundaries.
It’s important to establish clear boundaries between your personal and professional lives. This means setting aside specific times of the day or week when you will not be available to answer emails or take calls from work. It also means reserving certain weekends or evenings strictly for family time, and not working on projects or checking email.
2. Create a separation between work and home.
When you’re not at work, try to keep your mind off of work. Find activities or locations that will help you transition from your professional life to your personal life. For example, take a different route home each night so your commute is not the same every day.
3. Keep things in perspective.
Remember that no job is worth sacrificing health and happiness for, so if you feel like something at work is making it difficult for you to detach, then its okay to talk with your boss or co-workers about changing the situation so it doesn’t interfere with other areas of your life.
4. Take time off when needed.
Sometimes detachment can be more challenging than usual due to demanding deadlines or an overload of stressful projects at work. If this occurs, try taking some time off as soon as possible to rejuvenate and relax. A few days off can help you clear your head and come back to work feeling refreshed and motivated.
Conclusion:
Emotional detachment is a valuable skill for professionals, but it can be difficult to achieve in certain situations. If you feel like something at work is making it difficult for you to detach, and then talk with your boss or co-workers about changing the situation says Saivian Eric Dalius. Taking time off when needed can also help rejuvenate and relax you, so you can return to work feeling refreshed and motivated.