Most would respond to this question with a resounding “YES!” But even as we say that, we are probably unaware of just how much we really do work. You may think that you work 40 hours, and the rest of the hours are yours. However, that is highly unlikely.
You see most of us give away our “invisible labor.” This refers to that work you are doing in your head when you are off the clock. You may be driving in your car pondering that new interviewee that you are supposed to meet with tomorrow. Perhaps you are lying in bed at night, still awake, attempting to organize the flow of the Yoga class you are going to be teaching. Or maybe you are eating dinner with the family but your mind is already in the next day’s budget meeting. While you may not be at the office getting paid, you’re still working.
Now you may think, “OK, so what? It’s not a big deal.” Yet it might be to your family, who perceives you as not being fully present with them or your body who craves more sleep. This invisible labor takes a toll. But how can you reduce it? I have two suggestions today.
- Try to be aware of everything you do in the background while you are attempting to relax or accomplish another task. See how much of your energy this labor takes from you.
- Make it a point to set aside time to focus on only one thing, catching yourself when your mind wanders off, bringing it back to the task at hand.
While this “invisible labor” may not be a huge problem for some, for others, it can rob you of your energy, your health, and, most importantly, those precious moments and events that you don’t want to miss. It reminds me of the scripture, 2 Corinthians 10:5, which references “taking captive every thought.” We are much better off controlling our thoughts than allowing them to control us.