5 things to remember on overwhelming days

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Dr Linda Friedland In The Media

Dr. Linda Friedland tells us her top five tips for busy women.

When it comes to building a thriving career, staying fit, raising a family, maintaining relationships and taking over the world, sometimes we feel like we need super powers to fit it all in. At times, our mental and physical wellbeing can be pushed to the side to make room for all of the tasks we need to complete in a day (sound familiar?). Best-selling author, mother of five and sought after international speaker, Dr. Linda Friedland, knows too well that ‘having it all’ can be utterly exhausting. She shared with us some words of wisdom about how to manage it all.

  1. Forget about balance

This one might seem a little controversial but it’s our constant pursuit of balance than can leave us feeling frustrated. The reason being is that the balance we are pursuing just doesn’t exist. Work-life balance means that work and life (outside of work) each have equal measure, yet most of life is filled with hard work. Be disciplined in establishing strong and effective boundaries and give yourself sufficient recovery time (did somebody say massage?). If we think more of work-life integration than balance, we will feel far more satisfied.

  1. No awards for superhuman

Working hard is essential, however the need to persistently prove yourself and go beyond the call of duty is not. These common characteristics of working women are both unnecessary and the classic cause of much of the burnout and breakdown experienced. When you leave work… leave work! Although it is much easier said than done, know when to stop. Your time outside of the office should be spent on you and the people you care about. We’re all super heroes but trying to be superhuman will leave you burnt-out.

  1. Pump up adrenalin and then switch it off

There is no better way to recharge your energy than by temporarily pumping up adrenalin levels. Use your lunch break to get to the gym, go for a run or if not possible take a brisk walk out of the office. The work out and then the post exercise adrenalin switch-off facilitates energy recovery and renewal before you get back to your desk.

  1. Not everything is URGENT!

In reality, very little is urgent, yet we tackle every task at work and at home with an urgency and hurry. When you’re prioritising your day, become aware of what is essential, what is important and what is minor. Only the tasks that are time dependent require a greater intensity. And most of the time, they are not urgent, so take a deep breath and realise you have time.

  1. Recharge your battery frequently

In ‘having it all’ neither work nor family is generally sacrificed, but rather your own needs. Ensure you structure some time for yourself to defuse your stress and to recharge your energy. Things like a long bath, time spent outside with a good book or tuning out to a movie. It’s not how long you take off that matters most, but how skillfully you use these very short periods of renewal. Learning to practice mindfulness and meditation are very effective ways to defuse stress, strengthen neural connections, oxygenate the brain and enhance powerful neurotransmitters.

Although it often seems impossible, with discipline and planning you can achieve peace of mind and work life integration!

Dr. Linda Friedland is an authority on executive and corporate health, women’s wellbeing as well as stress management and performance. She is a medical doctor, bestselling author of five books, mother of five, and sought after international speaker. Linda is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a health board non-executive director. For more information visit www.lindafriedland.com or emaillinda@lindafriedland.com

This article was first published on www.womensfitness.com.au

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