The theme of work-life balance comes up constantly at Girls’ Lounge. In fact, we don’t think the word “balance” should be in your vocabulary. There is no such thing as 50/50. You don’t turn one thing on and the other off. Life is not so orderly and does not operate in time slots.
On the contrary, we have a life with several dimensions. These dimensions include work, family, community, friends and, we often forget an important one, ourselves! At different stages of our lives, we may need to set different priorities, especially for women who find themselves in a difficult situation. This is a time in our lives where we might have increasing responsibilities at home and increasing responsibilities at work.
In general, women often put others first. We are nurturers… which is wonderful, but as Alexia Brue, co-founder and CEO of Well+Good, says: “Taking care of yourself and making sure your own batteries (not just your cell phone batteries) are constantly recharged is a really good thing. important to be effective at work and contribute to societal change.
Here are some ideas on how to take care of yourself no matter how busy you are at work, in your play, and in your impact on change!
Take a “me” moment
Putting yourself into the equation shouldn’t be something simple, or practiced only when you reach burnout. “Self-care is simply daily, healthy rituals that keep your body and mind energized,” says Brue. “It can be as simple as going to bed at the same time every night, scheduling a regular massage, or lighting candles and taking a break. It’s about finding what recharges you, then incorporating it as a ritual into your life.
Be comfortable putting yourself in the equation every day. My “me” time ritual is a daily bath.
Be present, in your own way
Unplug in the moment. I don’t bring my phone to the table to eliminate the temptation to always be “on.” I want to be fully present and focused on who I am. You can’t be a little bit of everything with everyone at the same time.
“Technology has created this constant expectation and there are now many platforms for communication. People feel very exhausted. In fact, Google searches for ‘self-care’ are now 20% higher than this time last year,” says Brue. “Establishing communication guidelines can be very helpful in ensuring that when people are not at work, they can actually not be at work. This gives them permission to focus on their family and life outside of work.
For example, Brue’s company recently shared guidelines that employees will not Slack after 7 p.m. and, if an email is sent after hours, responses are not expected until the morning.
What if you work in a company where an almost instant response is expected? “Every person needs to familiarize themselves with the rules understood or implicit in the company culture in which they operate, because this is part of being successful in a company, but we hope that more companies will understand that people will be more productive and creative when they have time for themselves. » said Brue.
Adopt an “integration” mindset
I think the best way to sum it up is called “life integration.” For me, a day in the life includes all aspects of what I need to do in the moment. I include my personal commitments in my daily calendar so that they have the same priority as my professional commitments. I never say to myself, “I wish I could do that if I found the time.” I take the time I need when I need it and I manage to do everything…my way.
Studies I discovered that even short breaks can boost your concentration and productivity. “Self-care doesn’t have to take up a lot of time,” says Brue. “Even five minutes of mediation can ground you and energize you. You can reserve a conference room or find a phone booth and escape for a few moments to install a mediation application. A few to try: Buddhism, Calme.com And 10% happier.
Other ideas for carving out time at work might include taking a walk around the neighborhood, logging for a few minutes or do some light stretching at your desk.
Create your own formula
I multitask on steroids almost every day. I always have a busy schedule, which means I often have to check in with myself. If I’m exhausted, I take time for myself without apologizing. I travel every week so my commitment to myself is a no-work policy on planes. It’s time for me to relax and watch all my TV shows.
“It’s really about knowing yourself and finding the self-care recipe that works for you,” says Brue. “For me personally, exercise is a stress reliever. I feel more patient, creative and happier when I work out every day. For someone else it might be completely different.
Amy Stanton, founder and CEO of Stanton & Company, a full-service marketing and public relations agency, advocates knowing our personal limits so that we are clear when things are becoming too difficult to handle. She also suggests that we recalibrate our boundaries as life changes occur – this way we can shift our priorities as necessary. Sometimes we need to work more on our mental health, while other times it’s our physical health. Patiently listen to your body and your needs to be able to offer you the best care.
Make it a team effort
Self-care doesn’t have to be a solo practice. In Stanton’s office, several of his employees have decided to participate in weekly lunches where each employee takes turns preparing a healthy lunch for their colleagues. These moments allow people to share recipes, ideas and discover new health-focused ingredients. Stanton also suggests moving work happy hours to group exercise dates that allow people to try a new fitness class. Stanton’s office recently signed up for a boxing class together. Besides boosting endorphins, these healthy activities are another way to bond over something other than those worksheets. Personally, I like going to Soul Cycle with my girlfriends.
Lead with generosity
Give yourself and your team permission to take a break. As we all know, managers often set the tone for company culture. For cultures to change, it helps for managers to lead by example and demonstrate to their colleagues that self-care is a priority. Most important, know that a better “me” leads to a better “we”.
