Are you feeling “over it” already?
Many of us are feeling like there’s too much to handle — especially those of you who are excellent at getting things done, used to taking on the extra load, and making sure everyone else is taken care of.
Sound like you?
I thought so….
I want you to know that you’re doing a phenomenal job. I acknowledge all the work you’re doing.
The multiple balls you’re juggling.
The never ending list of to-do’s.
The additional cognitive load that’s required to make even the smallest of decisions.
The care, love and attention you have for those around you, making sure they are well taken care of (from your partner, kids, family, colleagues, team to your friends).
The way you’ve adapted, adjusted and made things work during these times.
You’re doing exceptionally well!
In fact because you’re so good at getting things done and taking care of others, it’s no surprise you ended up here….
Feeling that the stress at work is too much to handle.
My clients are telling me that they’re feeling pressure on all fronts.
The stress of working from home with kids, arguing with partners about the additional “load”, worrying about aging parents, missing loved ones who live afar. All of this on top of the mounting pressure at work to cut costs and keep up performance (aka revenue and profits)
Realistically, how much can one person do and handle in times like these?
In this week’s blog, we explore what to do when the pressure at work is too much to handle.
We’ll explore why it’s important to deal with increasing pressure at work before you reach your breaking point. As well as how to navigate all that you’ve got going on.
If you’re feeling like the pressure at work is too much to handle, you’re in the right place!
What to do when the pressure at work is too much to handle.
Firstly I just want to say that I’m so glad you landed here because I want to support you in coming back to YOU.
When you’re busy doing all the things, for all the people it can be easy to forget where you fit into everything.
But you matter, my lovely.
So grab yourself a cuppa, maybe even a notebook and a pen and let’s dive in…..
But before we do, I want to invite you to a live workshop I’m running this week called Sabbatical On the Side.
The experience is designed to give YOU some space to answer the bigger questions of where you’re headed in your work + life.
Together I’ll support you in stepping away from indecision in your career and simply getting-through-the-day so that instead you can begin to take steps towards your Soul Aligned Career.
I’d love to invite you to come and join me and take a Sabbatical On The Side of what you’ve got going on! If you haven’t already registered, you can register your seat by OVER HERE.
Ok, onwards!
Part 1: Why it’s important to deal with increasing pressure at work before you reach you burnout
“Burnout is emotional exhaustion: feeling so depleted and drained by your job that you have nothing left to give.”
I like this definition of burnout from Adam Grant in this New York Times Article.
We live in a culture obsessed with productivity, output and results. Not just in these times but historically too…..
According to a Forbes article, published in December 2019, ⅔ of Workers Experienced Burnout In 2019.
If we’re looking at ⅔ of the US population facing burnout in 2019, I wonder what the stats will be at the end of 2020?
Our culture pushes us to burn out by emphasizing what we are “doing” and disregarding having time and space to “be.”
If you’re feeling close to burnout it’s important to address this stat….
Looking back to my corporate life, I realised I made a huge mistake….
I ignored my overworking-perfectionist-people-pleasing tendencies and just kept going and working. I was going a million miles an hour until I reached a point where my mind, body, heart and soul just had no energy left to give and I had to stop.
My body couldn’t keep up or do it anymore.
Throughout the stress and to-do lists, I was numbing my true feelings.
I didn’t want to admit that I was tired or that I was on the wrong path or that I felt like an imposter.
My mind was so dominant, demanding and mean that I would stay busy so as not to disappoint her.
But my body got to a point where I had to stop and listen.
I ended up quitting from a lucrative career pretty suddenly — all without the best thought and consideration.
Looking back, it didn’t have to be that way or so hard.
If I’d simply taken some time to slow down and take a break, I’d have been able to address what was going on and do so from a place of love rather than avoidance.
Which brings us to Part 2….
Part 2: How to begin to navigate all that you’ve got going on
Many high achieving successful women spend their times in the adrenaline rush state of getting things done.
Our nervous systems are in the sympathetic alert stage…
Ready for:
- the next fire to put out
- crisis to deal with
- Challenge to solve.
Whilst this is a great skill, it’s imperative for your body to have time to rest and restore.
As a culture, particularly as women we’re not good at being able to sink into our parasympathetic nervous system which allows us to slow down, restore and rejuvenate.
Let me give you an example.
Think about the last time you went on holiday (ahhh remember those?!)
- Did it take you a while to relax and unwind?
- How many days did it take you?
Likely a little while, am I right?
That’s because your natural default set point is on go-go-go mode and you’re used to operating on adrenalin.
If you’re committed to prevent burnout and managing your stress, the main practice is in being able to “switch off.”
This is an invaluable skill by the way because it allows you to access a different state and nurture your body and dare I say allow in more pleasure, joy and fun.
Which I am ALL for because life is not all about productivity and to-do lists.
If you want to navigate all that you’ve got going on, it begins with slowing down.
Sounds really simple and too easy, but that my friends is key…
If you want some resources to support you finding your way of slowing down you can check out my blog post on:
5 Meditation Tips for Type A Personalities
If you want to slow down and be guided on how to make a decision on who to handle your work for the long term, come and join me in a free 5 day online workshop series I’m currently running called Sabbatical On the Side.
The experience is designed to give YOU some space to slow down and enter a different state (aka the parasympathetic) so that you can answer the bigger questions of where you’re headed in your work + life from this space of calm and relaxation.
Together I’ll support you in stepping away from indecision in your career and simply getting-through-the-day so that instead you can begin to take steps towards your Soul Aligned Career.
I’d love to invite you to come and join me and take a Sabbatical On The Side of what you’ve got going on! You can register your seat OVER HERE.
Alright….
That’s a wrap!
Today we explored: What to do when the pressure at work is too much to handle.
In the blog post we covered:
Part 1: Why it’s important to deal with increasing pressure at work before you reach burn out
Part 2: How to begin go navigate all that you’ve got going on
Now I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment and let me know:
- Are you on the fast track to burnout?
- What are you going to do to slow down and check in?
I hope you’ll join me in Sabbatical On the Side where we go deeper into all of this and then some.
I’d love to support you to take a proper break and have the time and space to consider how to handle your current job situation and make the choices and decisions that will allow you to step into your Soul Aligned Career with greater conviction, connection and time out for you.
With love,
Siobhan
Xoxo
P.S. If you want to have space and time to make a decision around your work, come and join me in a free 5 Day Online Mini Retreat I’m running this week called Sabbatical On the Side. This online retreat is designed to support you in simply getting-through-the-day to getting clear on how you can step into your soul aligned career. Register your seat over here.
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