There is a strange complexity to life sometimes. It is multi-faceted. We might feel that in our day job we are left constantly stressed, firefighting or simply continually exposed to problems we have not seen before, while in those times where we should be able to relax we feel as though we are in a hamster wheel, doing the same things over and over. I think this complexity, its balance across at least these two facets of our lives and the potential associated stress we might feel are down to novelty.

The constant complexity and related stress, or the feeling of being trapped in a hamster wheel for sure are not good for our sleep, and therefore health.

So how can we reduce complexity and stress on the one hand and escape the hamster wheel on the other? Perhaps by engineering and/or gaining some control over novelty (and the expectations of others).

In our day jobs can we work towards a place where every problem we see is not brand new (or more complex than others that came before it)? Can we set the expectations of others to allow us to take time to spot the patterns, or do the research properly, benefiting from the expertise of others? Can we ensure perhaps that we mix in maintenance related problems from time to time, veering away from complexity just occasionally to get a breather? While nobody (probably) wants to solve the same problem time and time again - we don't want to feel like we are never getting better at a thing, never able to progress incrementally or to sit back and enjoy the work we have done.

Outside work it might be easier, we likely have more choice over what we do. It is easy to get into a habit of sitting in front of the TV or gaming, or generally being too sedentary. But can we try something else, walk more - particularly if we are lucky enough to live near nature. In this facet of our lives it is helpful to increase the novelty (but through careful selection). Tend towards a maintenance approach, improving or maintaining different aspects such as health or learning.

Maybe take a holiday if it is possible. If not just a day trip, unplug, get into a new environment. It is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress and complexity (if you choose well :-)).