I recently heard from an old coworker who had gotten what seemed like a dream job at a tech start-up. She is going to change the world! Make millions! But then I heard that she’s routinely working until 11 p.m. every night. And that her new company often has meetings on Saturdays. (She’s also a mom, by the way.) Whoa. I’m all for working hard, but in what universe is that healthy? Even for those of us not working at a start-up, the technology that was supposed to make our lives easier has in fact stressed us out, encroaching on our personal time with endless demands and dings. Time to set some boundaries. For this week’s Healthy Habits, let’s try the following:

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Assess. If you’re feeling your work-life balance is out of whack, is this an issue with your employer, or is it something you need to address within yourself? The author of the book Chained to the Desk, psychologist Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., has a quiz on his website that helps people determine if they are workaholics.

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Unplug from screens. Set times and zones that are digital-free spaces. For example The table where you eat your meals, your bed, your child’s school. The gadget needs to be off, out of sight, not present. YOU are present. That means no texting during the 5th-grade presentation of Peter Pan, or a “quick text back” while your family is trying to enjoy their lasagna. Modeling this behavior is particularly important around children.

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Devote time to self-care. We all know that contemplation and meditation are the first things to go out the window when we’re busy. But here are a few reasons not to feel guilty about spending that time on yourself. According to the Eco-Institute, meditation boosts your EQ, improves long- and short-term memory, and even helps the way your brain functions overall. Those 10 or 20 minutes you spend meditating are a good investment.

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Pare down. I love this quote from personal-finance expert Nathan Morris, “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” Declutter your life as much as possible, becoming a lean, mean, You Machine. Create space for both the personal and work spheres by weeding out: the kinda-sorta friends you don’t need to see, the club you wish you hadn’t joined, the committee that is sucking your time. There are so many books on what it would be like to say Yes! to everything for a year. Well, try saying NO to everything for a year, and see if you can whittle down your commitments as much as possible, only doing what is truly necessary both personally and professionally. Let’s create a little breathing room.  By:  Kathryn Drury Wagner