Take another look at that To Do list. It could be making you sick.

Exercise more, eat better, do more for the community, spend more time with our family, connect more with our friends, develop more skills for our work, ahhhh, how much more can we do?

I know I am not alone by sharing that once or twice (okay way more times) in my life I have felt stressed. I’m hiding so no one would find me, yelling at my phone to be quiet and on the brink wanting to rip up my to-do list and run to the mountains. Anyone with me?

If we stop and think about the events that lead up to these meltdowns, we play a big part in getting ourselves into the situation. We keep saying yes when we want to say no, we sleep in when knowing we need to get up, we scroll through social media even though we are time poor.

Harsh as it may be, our frenetic pace, racing from one meeting to the next and the constant pursuit of ‘more’ is affecting our ability to take time out, slow down and refuel. With our bodies and minds constantly ‘switched on’, our health, wellbeing and relationships are increasingly paying the price. We need to stop!

Published in 2016, a national survey from R U OK?, a charity focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, found Australians spend an average of 46 hours of their weekly downtime looking at their TVs and digital devices, compared to an average of six hours engaging with family and friends.

While at work a poll conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) also in 2016 found the experience of burnout was one of the most significant reasons that individuals left their current position, seeking employers who offered opportunities for a balance between work and personal life.

With the speed of life not slowing down we need to integrate the skills of switching off into our lives if we are to have the energy and stamina to keep up.

There is no such thing as work/life balance. Post continues below.

How do you know when it is time to switch off?

It is time to switch off, when you feel it in your body, notice it in your behaviour and you can be sure your family and workmates will let you know! The best way to stop sickness taking hold is to recognise when it’s time to switch off before you become sick or have a meltdown. How? Glad you asked.

1. Recognise the signals

Being too busy, we will often ignore the signals that we are getting sick. Do a quick self-check, do you have niggling feelings you have been ignoring, like a persistent headache or a tightness in the lower back, a concerning feeling in your ‘gut’, or persistent tiredness? To stop sickness from taking over, step back and literally take a good look at yourself, how healthy are you feeling, are your behaviours and habits serving you well, is it time for change?

2. Understand your triggers

Once we take notice of the niggles it is time to understand why they are there in the first place. Have you been pushing yourself for too long, working late nights, partying too hard, not socialising, eating poorly, not had enough sunlight? All of these factors build up and can be the underlying reason for why you are feeling so overwhelmed and out-of-sorts. Take time to notice what stressors push your buttons so you can adapt your behaviour.

3. Know when to flick the switch

I’m no physicist but I know to find balance there needs to be at least two forces. We can’t always be switched off in chill out mode, there are things to do and people who need us. But we can’t always be ‘on’ either, this is exhausting! Periods of intense activity need to be complemented by a period of slow activity. By slowing down we give our body and mind time to rest and repair, then through this we tap into renewed focus, energy and motivation.

Slowing down can feel impossible when we lead such full lives but switching off isn’t about doing more … it means doing less. Focusing on the payoff of slowing down, being in better health, improved energy, clearer thinking, and a renewed motivation for work, switching off is not a ‘cop out’ or a luxury, rather it is a necessity if we are to keep up with the pace of life.

Angela Lockwood an Occupational Therapist whose retreats, corporate education programs and keynotes help organisations, schools and individuals prioritise their health and wellbeing. Angela is the author of Switch Off. How to find calm in a noisy world and The Power of Conscious Choice. You can see more from Angela on Twitter, Instagram (@angelalockwood_) and her website: www.angelalockwood.com.au.