3 Ways To Slow Down When Everything Is Ramping Up
It’s THAT time of year again! The end-of-summer blues and back-to-school excitement. Your Facebook feed will be filled with all the pics of kids with their backpacks heading off for the first day.
I totally get the end of summer blues each year. We LOVE summers at the lake, and I always find it challenging to transition back to city life and full-time business.
I’m fortunate I can do my work from the lake, and funny enough, I seem to get way more done there working 2-3 hours a morning than I do in the city working full-time (that’s a post for another day!)
Life just seems so much simpler in the summer. I used to think this when I was in my corporate career as well.
It’s like there is an unspoken rule you have permission to slow down for a couple months.
And then, as back-to-school hits, so do all the expectations and demands, and it’s easy to get overloaded quickly between kids’ activities, projects gearing up and whatever else you’ve got going on. That simple summer fades away . . .
But what if it doesn’t have to be this way? What if you could give yourself permission to slow down at other times of the year as well? How would you like to feel?
If this is you, here are three ways to help you (stay) slowed down even when everything seems to be ramping up around you.
Be careful not to overcommit (I’m a culprit for this in September!).
There’s lots to catch up on with work, friends you haven’t seen, kids’ activities, etc. and it can be way too easy to fall into the trap of overcommitting yourself or your family.
Keep in mind when you say ‘yes’ to something, you are saying ‘no’ to something else. For example, when you say yes to taking on another project at work even though you are already overloaded, you might be giving up some evenings and weekends with the kids. When you say yes to another evening with friends, you are saying no to a quiet evening at home. And you might need more space than you think as you transition.
So, pause and ask yourself: “If I am saying yes to this, what am I saying no to? Recognize the trade-off and choose wisely.
Better manage your transitions throughout the day.
Do you find you often get to the end of your day with little energy or oomph left? Do you carry over negative energy from one activity to the next? Do you ever feel depleted, but plough into the next thing without a break, even though you know you need a breather?
One of the most effective ways to not lose and, in fact, increase energy is to better manage transitions during the day – from home to work, from one meeting to the next, from presentation to coffee break, from work to pick kids up, from supper time to homework time, etc.
Take just 1-2 minutes, close your eyes, take a deep breath and release the tension, and then set an intention for how you want to be going into the next activity. It makes a huge difference.
Make fun and white space a priority.
Who says summer is the only time for lazy beach days or random adventures? Schedule some joy time and white space into your calendar to do whatever your heart desires . . . every day.
Pick a weekend for a fun getaway with the kids or a Friday pizza night with friends or an evening walk if that gives you joy. Look at your work calendar and block some time just for you, such as a 'no meeting day' each week. Keep some space open on your weekends to do whatever you like.
Be intentional to infuse more fun and free space into every day. What would that look like for you?
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When you can live life a bit slower, it helps to not feel so overwhelmed and that you are always going, going, going. Stress is the ultimate energy killer, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Slow down and take care of yourself and your needs. You’ll enjoy your days more, perform better and will better respond to all the demands and expectations.
WHAT NEXT?
If you have a desire to not get swept up into the hectic pace of Fall. But you’re just not sure how to still perform and be successful, without working long hours or feeling so overwhelmed and stressed.
And you're a professional woman who wants more time and presence for what really matters at work and in your personal life, I invite you to book a call to see if The Balanced Leader™ program is right for you.
We will work together to take control of your workload, balance your life, and be your best at work AND at home (learning to feel okay that your best will look different on different days).
“This program allowed me to re-evaluate priorities, choose how I want to show up in my day and in my life, and I implemented many things that helped me and my team keep calm and focused during a very busy and stressful time. Stacey is kind and compassionate and is rooting for you throughout the entire process." – Cindy
All the best,
What Next?
You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.
Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.
