Prioritizing Self-Care
Self-care doesn't get near enough press. Much more commonly, we read (and write) more about how to professionally do much more with much less, often at the cost of our personal aspirations. Work-life balance is set as a goal, sometimes with a laugh and a wish for it to someday be realized.
We apply pressure to ourselves to be the best, to achieve, to succeed, to climb the ladder. Often, we are our worst critic and can be unrelenting in this pressure. While it can be motivating and productive, the pressure can also be harmful and destructive. Give yourself some credit for all your hard work! Self-care means forgiving yourself for mistakes, taking your mind and body off of work-mode, and knowing when it's time to call it a day.
Forgiving Mistakes
Mistakes often cause feelings of embarrassment and shame. Shame is a dark, deeply felt emotion that chains us to our mistakes. Stop punishing yourself for past transgressions. Instead, focus your energy forward, knowing you are stronger and smarter for learning from your mistakes.
Turning Off Work-Mode
Before you started your professional journey, how did you spend your unoccupied time? Did you draw, write, go for walks, volunteer, travel, or any number of other hobbies? Return to these interests, even when you think you are too busy. Spending even a few minutes each day out of work-mode will actually do much more for your professional productivity than being in a constant state of putting out fires at work.
Calling it a Day
It is a challenging and difficult, yet valuable lesson, to recognize when it is time to - dare I say it - quit. 'Quit' can be such a dirty word for achievers who might note, as a point of pride, that they have never quit anything, ever. Far more powerful is knowing when it is time to close a chapter and begin a new one. When a project, a job, an obligation no longer serves you; when there is nothing left for you to try to make it work, it is perfectly acceptable to let it go.
Give yourself some slack when you need it. Only you know what you need to be the best version of yourself. Prioritize what you know will bring you greater stability and health. Be gentle with yourself, take time for self-care, and reap the long-term rewards.
