Are you trying to be everything to everybody?
Have you got too much to do and too little time?
Have you ever noticed that the more you do the more others demand of you?
Today's women in management face challenges that many of their male colleagues don't face or understand. Women have a tendency to strive towards being all things to all people, at home and at work and often put themselves last in the pecking order.
"So what?" I hear you say, "that's just life," "I can do it," or maybe you just think that you don't have a choice. Well you do have a choice on whether or not you start to manage your stress and if you want to keep being:
a good managera good colleaguea good muma good partnera good daughtera good friendetc., etc...
then it is vital that you look after yourself first and start to manage the stress in your life. The first and most important step in doing this is to realise that you have to do something differently. If your stress levels are starting to become unmanageable then what you are doing now is not working. How differently you do things depends on you and your individual circumstances. Some people might just need some more down time, some people need to change their way of life.
Maybe you thrive on a challenge but stretching yourself too far, for too long can lead to stress, depression, anxiety and burnout. When I say stress I do not mean the good stress that can motivate us I mean the bad stress that can have a negative impact on your whole life. Be honest with yourself is it just stress or have you been coping with too much for too long and slipped into depression? Sometimes its hard to spot this in yourself or maybe you just don't want to admit you need help. If you aren't sure whether its more than stress ask a trusted friend what they think or visit your GP.
If it is just stress, that's great! You can start to do something about that quickly and easily. There are countless different techniques for managing stress and we are all amazingly unique so what works for one person may not work for another. Buy a book or do some research on the internet and find a few things that appeal to you and make a commitment to try them.
One of the things that will work for everyone, so long as you remember to do it is to BREATHE PROPERLY! When you notice signs of tension spend some time focusing on your breathing. It's so simple yet many people don't breathe properly, especially in times of stress. Every now and then, but especially when you are sitting at your PC or in a stressful meeting take notice of your body. Where is the tension? Is it in your shoulders, in your jaw, your fingers, somewhere else? If you get stressed it will be affecting your body in some way, locate the tension and consciously let it go by relaxing each area. If possible take a break and stretch your legs, even if it's only for a comfort break or to get a glass of water. To control your breathing take a deep breath in through your nose; imagine filling the bottom of your stomach with air. When you breathe properly the bottom of your tummy will expand. Hold the breath for 5 seconds then slowly exhale through your mouth. As you exhale let your body relax. Do this 4 or 5 times and you will feel yourself becoming calmer.
Julia is a Personal Coach and NLP Practitioner supporting Women in Management.
For a FREE instantly downloadable "Stressed to Refreshed eBook" containing 21 Tried and Tested Stress Busters aimed specifically at female managers visit http://www.julia-harris.com/stressed-to-refreshed/
For more information on coaching or just a daily dose of inspiration visit http://www.julia-harris.com/
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