Make self-care a priority
How can we create balance with work, family and life?
Paul Schoenfeld, MD, Behavioral Health
Do you have a hard time saying no to others at work or in your personal life? Do you often find yourself rushing from one responsibility to another? Do you find days or weeks slip by and you haven’t had any time to think about life, work on your goals or get much-needed rest?
You may need to stop, take a few breaths and decide to make self-care a priority.
Today, work expectations are higher with a greater demand for us to be productive. The creation of smartphones as a business tool hasn't helped.
Emails and texts come at all hours with the expectation that workers will answer right away. At meetings, participants are listening, talking, reading and replying to emails at the same time.
How can we create balance with work, family and life? How can we make sure we’re not taking on too much?
Set limits and stick to them
Be honest with yourself about what you can reasonably do. Say no or ask for more time for new requests. Of course, others will be disappointed when you say no or tell them you need more time. But be realistic.
It’s better to under-promise and over-deliver than to have unrealistic expectations of yourself. Taking care of yourself and nurturing work-life balance is a marathon race, not a sprint.
Take a real vacation
Turn your email and other devices off.
Make self-care a priority
Deadlines, work demands and expectations from others can grow in small amounts until you find yourself mentally exhausted. Make your own personal self-care plan and stick to it.
If you fall off your horse, pick yourself up, clean yourself off and get back on. Your well-being depends on it.
Create "SMART" goals for yourself
Of course, we all want to please our family, co-workers and managers. We all like praise, promotions, raises and rewards. But at the end of the day, our well-being, happiness and peace are our most important assets.
Get started on your healthy path by setting some goals you’d like to reach. Then picture yourself achieving them. How will you do it? When? Why does it matter or why is important to you? That’s what SMART goals are all about.
Here’s what makes a goal SMART:
- “S” if for specific. Think through the details of what is most important to you.
- "M” is for measurable. How will you know when you have accomplished your goal?
- “A” is for attainable. Make goals you can reasonably reach.
- “R” is for relevant. Choose goals that really matter to you.
- “T” is for time-based. Set aside time each week to work on your goal.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for professional health care. You should consult an appropriate health care professional for your specific needs.