How to Do Work Late and Stay Sane - The Muse

How to Do Work Late and Stay Sane - The MuseHow to Do Work Late and Stay Sane When you signed on to your job, you werent expecting to have to work after hours. In fact, you chose that specific industry or company because you wanted to go home every night without having to drag your to-do list home with you. But alas, sometimes you find yourself in a situation in which you just cant fully unplug for the evening (or evenings). Maybe your boss is hounding you on an important project deadline, or you took on more responsibility and are still adjusting, or you know tomorrow youre in back-to-back meetings and wont have time to get everything done.It stinks- but Im here to help make a night of work feel slightly more bearable.Go Home (if You Can)Can you get your work done from home? Great, pack up and leave the office.Just because you have a lot to do doesnt mean you have to do it at the office. Youll feel a lot better (and more motivated) if you get out of the place youve just spent 10 hou rs in and change up your scenery. Seriously, science says so. So go home, put on sweats, curl up on the couch (turn on some background music or TV if you can work that way), and finish it up without having to worry about keeping it professional.Get ComfortableSee that line about sweats? Even if you have to stay in the office, make yourself comfortable (well, as much as you can without making others uncomfortable). Untie your tie, make a sweatshirt blanket, find a comfortable couch or better chair, and put yourself in ultimate work mode.Oh, and use this app so your computers elend so blinding in the dark.Take a BreakAnd if you cant leave for whatever reason? Give yourself a much-deserved break before jumping in for work round two. At the very least, take a five-minute walk outside and get some fresh air. But if you can, grab a quick dinner away from your desk (and maybe a coffee or two).Eat SomethingSpeaking of dinner, you need to eat. No matter how much you have to do, take 15 minut es and figure out what youre going to put in your mouth. Can you order dinner in? Go grab it? Are there cookies in the kitchen? Ideally, youd sit down and have a healthy, protein-packed meal. However, youre not living in an ideal world right now, so head to that vending machine (or that convenience store down the block, or that granola bar stash in your desk) and do the best you can. Though if you have options, these foods are the most energizing.Know Your LimitsEven if you have to work an all-nighter, know yourself well enough to know when youre no longer churning out good work. Theres no point in staying up until 3 AM if everything you do after 10 PM has to be re-done in the morning.If its better for you to wake up earlier and finish up then, do that instead.Start With the Most Urgent, Most Challenging StuffTake advantage of the second wind you got from quick break by tackling the most urgent stuff first- that means the tasks that are due tomorrow or that your boss emphasized they need ASAP.Then, cover the more challenging stuff. You know, the stuff that takes the most brain power. You may not get to it all, but starting to lay the groundwork now will make it easier to finish later on (and if you know you wont get it all finished in time, heres how to break the news to your boss).Plan Before You Get StartedTheres nothing worse than planning an all-nighter and then realizing you cant get started without Jons numbers report. And Jon doesnt check his email after he leaves the office. Make a list of everything you need from other people and ask for it before you get going (and before they leave for the night). Worried they wont take you seriously? Read this.Set Yourself Up for the Next DayIf youre on an adrenaline high when you wrap up, spend 10 minutes getting ready for tomorrow- because youre probably going to be exhausted when you wake up. You can make a list of everything you should double-check before sending it in, or pack your work bag, or lay out your ou tfit, or whip together a quick lunch or snack to grab before you leave in the morning.Reward YourselfFinally, recognize how awesome you are for getting stuff done by unwinding with a good book, digging into ice cream, playing your favorite video game, taking a nice, long bath, or, if your eyes are closing, going to sleep.Working late isnt easy or fun, but unfortunately, its sometimes a part of your job. While it may happen, you shouldnt forget about self-care- for your sanitys sake, and for the sake of showing up to work your best (or, best you can be) self.Hopefully, working after hours is a rare occurrence for you- and when it is, youll know how to handle it confidently and efficiently.However, if you find your once 9-to-5 jobs turning into an all-day, every-day affair, heres how to keep your sanity when working insane hours.Youve got this