How to thrive despite having so much on your plate

Do you find it overwhelming to juggle work, life, relationships, wellness and family responsibilities? You may need review your calendar and reevaluate what’s working and what’s not working so you can implement habits that support you for the long haul. The following are 4 tips that can help you find ultimate work-life balance so you can thrive in your life and in your relationships.

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1. Stop Trying To Do Two Things Simultaneously: Although employers in the U.S. and some abroad praise multitasking, statistically multi-tasking is a less efficient and effective strategy.  First, it sends your stress levels through the roof. And secondly, you are likely to make more mistakes and increase your anxiety level along the way. The key is to develop a one mindfulness skill-set where you focus on one task, stay in the present moment and as a result feel calmer because you are not as easily distracted by alternative tasks that pull you away from the here and now.

2. Take A Personal Inventory Of Your Habits: This is an important first step to evaluate and self-correct habits that are not beneficial for your wellbeing. Do you ever find that you are trying to cram in too many tasks in a limited amount of time? Do you also tend to underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete each task? If so, you probably find that you put a lot of pressure on yourself and set up unrealistic expectations. This leaves you feeling bad as a result. An alternative strategy to increase inner harmony is to increase the amount of time allotted to complete each task and reduce the number of tasks on your to-do list, so you can start setting realistic expectations with clearer, more achievable objectives.

3. Mindfully Increase Your Self-Esteem: By becoming more intimate with yourself and your time you can learn to find your own internal rhythm. The more you become attuned to the sensations and wisdom of your body, the more you can feel intuitively if a choice is uplifting or depleting, expansive or constrictive. By slowing down and giving yourself time, you allow yourself to listen to the voice of truth within and feel empowered to follow your intuition.  

4. Give Yourself Breathing Room: Do you tend to overschedule yourself, leaving little room for spontaneity? By incorporating extra breathing room in your schedule to just relax and decompress, you open up space for mindfulness and self-care to become a priority in your life. Delegating tasks to others, getting support and intentionally creating the life and lifestyle you desire is the key to greater fulfillment and inner peace.

Do these tips make a difference in your sense of balance and wellbeing? Share your voice in the comments section.


Andrea Cairella HeadshotAndrea Cairella is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and owner of True Potential Counseling based in Long Beach, CA.  She works with adults and children and specializes in couples issues, trauma, addiction, anxiety and self-esteem and is the creator of Create A Relationship You Love ™ an online psycho-educational program for couples. If you would like to access my Free 3-Part Video Series visit TruePotentialCounseling.com to: Avoid the 4 Common Mistakes Many Couples Make And Know What To Do Instead, Learn the 8 Strategies To Strengthen Your Emotional And Physical Bond With Your Partner and Improve Communication In 10 Minutes Or Less.

Juicy Bites: Mindfulness, Compassion and Other Great Holiday Gifts

This week in Juicy Bites we learn:

 

  • How to reduce stress with mindfulness
  • How to prioritize what we really want
  • How to be kind to ourselves in times of stress
  • How to give to others this holiday season
  • How to slow down and be present, not perfect

 
At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:

1. “Be” home for the holidays via Mindful

Jeffrey Brantley, MD, is the founder and director of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine. In this article, Brantley highlights the importance of “being” over “doing,” and shares a quick exercise to help cultivate mindful connection.

“Above all, have kindness and compassion (a little ‘holiday spirit’) for yourself.” – Jeffrey Brantley

Continue Reading …

2. How to prioritize what truly matters via Kris Carr

Kris Carr admits, “If I’m not careful, I can easily regress into a people-pleasing ‘yes’ pez dispenser, who periodically loses her mind and agrees to everything–especially around the holidays!” In this post, Carr shares some tips for prioritizing balance and self-care this season.

“When it comes to shiny objects, people are like barracuda. We get mesmerized by the sparkly, swirly stuff.” -Kris Carr

Continue Reading…

3. 25 Women Writers Share Their Best Self-Compassion Tips via Psychology Today

Are you hard on yourself during the holiday season? These bite-sized reflections on self-compassion from women writers may give you the tools needed to choose self-kindness in a time of stress.

“No one knows our hurts the way we do. We are the sages of our soft spots and our edges. Self-compassion is showing up to that relationship with honesty and with love.” – Jamie Ridler

Continue Reading…

4. Kid President’s Holiday Gift Guide: The Perfect Gift Is Something That Makes The World Better via Mind Body Green

In this video, Kid President challenges us to think outside the gift-box when it comes to holiday presents. “Giving gifts can change the world,” he says, “especially when they are full of love.” Watch for hilarious and heartwarming gift ideas, and some important advice about bear hugs.

“The truth is, most people don’t need stuff, they need to know somebody cares.” -Kid President

Continue Reading…

5.  Stop the Madness: Choose Mindfulness Over Perfection This Holiday Season via Gaiam Life

Last week, we talked about perfectionism as the enemy of creativity. This week we look at how perfectionism isn’t doing your holidays any favors either. Yoganonymous advises us to slow down and practice voluntary simplicity instead of fueling the seasonal stress.

“I challenge you to move instead toward complete present-moment awareness — and away from the illusion of putting together the perfect party.” – Yoganonymous

Continue Reading…

 

We are excited to start a conversation and learn more from YOU, dear emerging women. Please leave a comment below: