How to be Peacefully Productive on the Job

My coaching clients often sign-on for my services because they are exhausted and overwhelmed. Their on-the-job experiences add a lot of stress, and their physical well-being has given way to high blood pressure, fatigue, and insomnia. They are motivated to seek out a holistic coach for their health care because they know their current lifestyle is impacting their career, and that is unacceptable. Let’s talk about being Peacefully Productive on the Job.

If you are an entrepreneur or a striving professional who is climbing the ladder, you may have adopted some coping skills that serve the purpose of helping you work above and beyond the call of duty. Think late nights, lots of caffeine, vending machine meals, always saying yes to opportunities, or skipping vacation time.

This driving energy may be delivering results on the job, but it also delivers shocking experiences of self-abuse, or at least, self-neglect. Your body and your happiness can only be driven like this for so long before your career and physical longevity decline. Wouldn’t it be great if you gently stopped yourself now before the heart attack, before the home-life hiccup, before the next sleepless night?

Here are my five favorite ways to encourage a holistic solution
to a common problem: Overwhelm on the Job

Think of yourself as Sleeping Beautyr
Idea #1: Inadequate sleep over extended periods of time interferes with immune function, and that deregulates hormonal function. On the job, cortisol and adrenaline are the hormones you are likely over-using. Driving your sleepy self with cortisol, adrenaline and will power will add to obesity, inflammation and type 2 diabetes. How you wake up every morning will impact your career effectiveness that day, and by choosing to ignore your sleep needs over time, you will damage your overall health. Make sleep a non-negotiable part of your routine and learn more about improving your sleep habits.

Just Say No
Idea #2: Learn how to not say “yes” right away.
People can have a hard time saying “no” when they’re asked to help with something or participate in an event. I think it’s important for everyone to have a way to contribute, but it also becomes a problem when you’re overextended and you end up dreading life/days. Here’s the magic phrase: “I will check my schedule for you.” If you do have time and you decide you want to do it, then that’s great! If not, you can let the person know that right now, you’re not able to jump in. This is completely reasonable.

Prioritize your Lifer
Idea #3: Did you spend more time last year planning your marketing campaign than you spent planning your family vacation? Many times, stress is caused when our priorities are not in line with how we’re spending our time. Get real about the ways you are currently spending your time and how that lines up with your life priorities. When we become clear on our priorities, good decisions are a lot easier to make.

Play the ‘Naming It’ Gamer
Idea #4: Look at your calendar and see what you have going on each day for the next month. If you (and your spouse and/or kids) are completely booked, is there a solution? Play the Naming It Game by using a few colors of highlighter pens to establish three categories of things on your calendar: things that are (1) Off Limits for change, those things that (2) Are Negotiable, and then finally, those things you are itching to (3) Cancel.

That’s 3 colors of markers that you will use to add clarity to those items/events you have already scheduled, which will help you in discerning how important they truly are to you. Please do not let your schedule run you – decide how YOU can run your schedule. It may mean making adjustments, but it’s going to be worth it.

Extreme Self Carer
Idea #5: The most resilient people in the world practice extreme self-care. Self-care is about taking good care of yourself and treating yourself as kindly as you treat others. Why do so many of us put ourselves at the bottom of the priority list? Taking care of ourselves should be at the top of the list as this allows us to be able to care for others in a healthy manner. It’s not selfish to want to feel amazing! When we’re at our best, we can give our best. Something as simple as taking a class or enjoying a little quiet time a few times a week may a fantastic first step. Enjoy yourself!