Having a successful career can be equally rewarding as it is stressful. For many Working professionals particularly women, having a stressful career involves a great deal of compromise both personally and professionally. This involves juggling competing priorities and making hard decisions.
It is quite common for women to experience the stress of competing priorities as they often carry the lions share of the burdens associated with work life balance.
Some common challenges identified and are unique to women in the work force are: Child care, Caring for elderly parents, a travel schedule that interferes with family life, Using planned time off to take care of family needs such as sick children,
Here are 5 tips on managing the stress of a demanding career:
POWER DOWN
Having access to corporate cellular devices, laptops and iPads prevent people from truly unplugging from work and fully being present at home or during bed time hours. If you are not fully present at home and you are lacking a full night rest. It is very unlikely to be fully present at work due to a lack of sleep which can increase stress.
GET PHYSICAL
Participating in an active routine such as walking jogging swimming, or any other physical activity produces chemicals in the brain that act as natural pain killers. It improves one’s ability to sleep which reduces stress. Overall maintaining physical activity is good for both the physical and mental well-being.
IDENTIFY YOUR TRIBE
Your tribe can be a parenting circle, spiritual group or a fitness group. People tend to feel connected and empowered when they feel they have a common bond and support from others. Many times, social activities and supports are not viewed as a priority however the truth is strained social supports can be a significant contributing factor to stress.
WORK REMOTELY
There are several pros to working remotely including reducing the stress of sitting in traffic, navigating the subway system and saving on commuting costs. Working remotely can create a sense of autonomy. It can also provide flexibility with regard to spending more time at home and balancing family life.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Having a busy work life often means committing managing the many To Dos, deadlines and meeting that are on your calendar. Be sure to regularly schedule vacation days and create “To Do’s that involve taking small breaks. Carving out the space on your calendar for yourself and committing to it allows you to be intentional about taking time to recharge and care for your well-being.