The Goodlife Institute

burnout

How to Disconnect From Work in Your Personal Life

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Sometimes, with a high-pressure career, it’s easy to forget that the rest of your life exists. You can get so caught up in the day-to-day deadlines and fires you need to put out at work that you feel like there’s no time for anything else. But it’s important not to let work dominate all aspects of your life, especially if you want to perform at peak performance and stay productive over time. 

Here are the best strategies we teach our clients to disconnect from work.

Relaxation is Vital to Productivity

In order to disconnect and relax, you need to have time for yourself, which is one of the hardest challenges as a busy professional woman. We constantly feel guilty if we do preserve some time for ourselves. So, it’s important to understand that taking time for yourself away from work and allowing yourself to truly disconnect is actually an investment in your health and happiness.

Relaxation doesn’t mean you are doing nothing; it means you are doing something that may not require as much mental effort as your work does. That can be anything from taking a walk around the block—or even just sitting and binging your favorite new series on Netflix. The key is that you’re engaging in activities that help give yourself a mental break to relax your mind and body so you feel rejuvenated after working hard all week.

Taking a Break Optimizes Your Performance

Taking breaks can help you to be more productive and effective. By taking a break from work, you are able to return to it with a fresh perspective, making better decisions and reducing stress. In turn, this helps you stay focused for longer periods of time.

In order for the break to be beneficial, it should be at least 15-20 minutes long. When we are tired or stressed out our brains switch off some of their functions in order to conserve energy so if we try and force ourselves into working longer they will become less efficient as they struggle through this state. The brain needs time away from work in order to recover these functions which will make us more productive when we do eventually get back into working mode again!

Don’t Drop Everything At Once

We tend to take an all or nothing approach to time off. We overwork until our scheduled vacations, only to spend the vacation trying to recover from our work burnout and then return to work still depleted. The easiest way to start disconnecting from work is to start scheduling in short day-breaks to our schedule. Try to add an extra day off every month or quarter to start. This will give your body and mind time some needed space away from work without fully disrupting your schedule.

Separate Your identity From Your Career

The first step to disconnecting from work is to separate your identity from your career. You’re not a workaholic, you’re a person with a career —and that’s it.

It’s easy to get caught up in identifying as someone who works too much and never sees their family, but the truth is we need at least one or two nights per week where we don’t think about our careers at all and can relax with friends, family or focus on other activities instead.

The truth is, if you feel like you need those nights away from work to maintain balance in your life then take them! It might feel like something is missing when you spend so much time at the office, but there are plenty of ways to work a high-presssure job and fit in quality time in your personal life.

Set Expectations for Boundaries

Setting boundaries is the first and most important step in creating a healthy work-life balance. There are no hard and fast rules on how to set boundaries, but there are some general guidelines you can use as a starting place.

  • Create expectations for yourself, your family, and your colleagues about when you’ll be available.
  • Communicate your expectations openly to those around you (including your direct reports)..
  • Set clear goals for yourself that help steer the type of work that gets done during certain times of the day (i.e., working out after work vs. spending time with friends at night).

Practice Excellent Self-Care

Studies have shown that the most productive people incorporate breaks during their day. This means that self-care, taking time to rest and recharge, is crucial to your bottom line. Here are some essential self-care practices:

  • Take time to actively relax and recharge (turn off email notifications, step away from screens)
  • Take time for exercise.
  • Eat well, it helps your moods and energy levels.
  • Connect with family and friends
  • Enjoy hobbies and interests that don’t involve work

Conclusion

Remember, your personal life is just as important as your work life. Taking care of yourself is necessary to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Just remember that taking breaks from work will allow you to come back refreshed and ready for the next fire that needs your expertise to put it out.

Watch our free masterclass to learn more about how to balance your personal and professional life.

How to Thrive Being a Woman in a Male-Dominated Work Environment

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Decades after James Brown first crooned that “this is a man’s world,” the words still hold impact. In many ways, the world was designed for men to experience the least amount of resistance in life, including in their professional careers.

While the gender gap in the modern workforce has lessened, comprising 57.4% women and 69.2% men, many women still work in male-dominated settings. Read on to learn more about the challenges of working in a male-dominated environment and how to overcome them.

Being a Woman in a Male-Dominated Workplace

Looking at the numbers, male-dominated occupations are those comprising 25% or fewer women. Some of the most male-dominated fields according to the U.S. Department of Labor include:

  • Plumbing 
  • Electricians 
  • Carpenters
  • Automotive Tech
  • Construction
  • Mechanics

By these standards, it’s estimated that only 6.5% of women work full-time in male-dominated occupations.

However, this doesn’t account for the representation, or lack thereof, of women in other occupations and roles. For instance, recent studies found that women made up only 5% of the CEOs appointed in 2020 globally, and, at the CEO level, men outnumber women by approximately 17 to one.

Women also continue to be underrepresented in industries such as science, technology, and engineering. While there’s no solid number to rely on, it can be estimated that there are millions of women in male-dominated workplaces. 

Challenges of Working in a Male-Dominated Environment

Women in the workplace face unique challenges every day, but they can be compounded in a male-dominated environment. Research shows that women working in occupations where they are a small minority are especially vulnerable to sexual harassment and assault at work. 

Women working in male-dominated industries and positions must also contend with gender bias and the persistent pay gap that favors their male counterparts. Female professionals may also feel undermined in their position or like it’s difficult to speak up and have their ideas heard or taken seriously.

Thriving as a Female Professional in a Man’s World

Regardless of the challenges women face, 77% agree that the biggest obstacle to gender equity in the workplace is the lack of information on how to advance. Here are some things you can do to not only get by in a male-dominated environment but thrive.

Overcome the Stigma of Success

Too often, there’s a stigma associated with success for women. Women in leadership positions or who go after what they want are viewed as selfish or cold while their male colleagues are lauded as go-getters.

It’s important for women to never let this stigma stop them, and, more importantly, actively work against it. Remain confident in your capabilities, foster strong relationships, and take credit for your accomplishments.

Be confident in the work you do

When entering a male-dominated work environment, it’s important not to be afraid of failure or rejection. You need to be confident in yourself and the work you do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed; don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t be afraid to speak up if something isn’t right!

Finally, never forget that as you grow as a leader, so will your compensation and salary increase. So if there is something wrong at work that needs fixing (or even just addressing), never hesitate to speak out about it–the worst thing they can say is no…and then maybe yes!

Be aware of unconscious bias

Unconscious bias is a natural part of the human brain. It’s not your fault if you’re biased, but it is important to know that you are and what biases exist in order to correct them. Unconscious bias can affect hiring decisions, performance evaluations and raises, promotions, or other aspects of an employee’s job experience.

If you’re an executive looking for ways to improve your leadership skills or advance in your career while working with a male-dominated workforce—or simply want to be proactive about your progressive workplace policies—it’s critical that you understand how unconscious bias works so that you can learn how to work against its effects on female executives like yourself.

Seek Mentorship Opportunities

Finding mentors throughout your career is also important for overcoming these challenges. Role models, especially other women in your industry, can provide sound advice and relate to your situation.

You should also seek out male allies at your workplace. Men who want to be allies in the workplace can help break down the boy club mentality while helping you create a supportive network.

Create a Strong Support Network

Speaking of a support network, make sure to surround yourself with individuals who uplift you at work. A strong support group of women and men at work can help amplify your ideas, vocalize your accomplishments, and provide a safe space for sharing advice.

Watch our free masterclass to learn more about how to balance your personal and professional life.

Why Calendar Management and Time Blocking Don’t Work (For Burnout)

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Struggling with burnout?

You’re not alone.

Burnout is a very real problem for many professionals, but it can be especially prevalent among female executives. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some strategies for overcoming burnout and getting your career back on track so you can finally start enjoying the success you’ve worked hard for.

First, it’s important to understand what burnout is and how it can manifest itself. Burnout is a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that can be caused by prolonged stress. When you’re burned out, you may feel like you’re unable to keep up with the demands of your job. You may also feel cynical or negative about your career, and you may have a hard time finding the motivation to continue working. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to take proactive steps to overcome your burnout.

When you’re beginning to feel apathetic and self-critical in your position and dream of an escape, it may seem like better controlling your time is an easy solution. Many time-management tools promise to help improve your productivity and, in turn, reduce some of the stress that causes burnout. However, this is rarely the case. While calendar management and time blocking are effective strategies to an extent, they are not good long-term solutions for avoiding burnout.

What is Time Blocking

It almost goes without saying, being able to manage a calendar is essential for professional women with huge careers & even busier lives. With many meetings, tasks, and deadlines to meet each day, many individuals turn to time blocks to help them during the working day. 

This popular time management technique is as straightforward as it sounds. Individuals block out a chunk of time on their calendars to focus on one task. This may be spending fifteen minutes on a specific task such as answering emails, or longer periods, like 2-4 hours, dedicated to deep work on a specific project.

Essentially, time blocking is meant to help individuals get through both smaller tasks and important projects during the day by dedicating periods of time to work on them. With tools like Google Calendar, it’s even easier than ever to break up days into different blocks of time.

Why Does Time Blocking Fail for Overcoming Burnout

While blocking time and color coding tasks can feel like the pinnacle of organization, it often doesn’t help with productivity or burnout in the long term. According to BBC, time blocking is a short-term solution because it focuses on pursuing productivity for its own sake – which is often counterproductive.

As an executive, your schedule is often more unpredictable than not. The self-imposed pressure to spend a certain amount of time on different tasks can be adding to your stress. Especially when an unexpected but important phone call or deadline comes up during the day.

Similarly, BBC explains that uncritical productivity often makes people lose track of their real motivations. This goes hand in hand with burnout, creating a negative cycle that can feel difficult to escape. 

Also, when you’re in the throes of fighting burnout these strategies are often too rigid. Feeling like you have to stick to a strict schedule can actually lead to more stress and anxiety. And, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, the last thing you need is another thing to worry about. 

**Instead of following a rigid schedule, try being more flexible with your time. This will allow you to better manage your workload and avoid feeling burned out.

Another reason why these methods don’t work is that they don’t take into account your personal life. If you have young children at home, for example, you may not be able to stick to a 9-5 work schedule. In this case, time blocking can actually make it harder for you to get your work done. Instead of trying to fit your work into a set time frame, try to work around your personal life. This will help you be more productive and avoid burnout.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help or better yet identify areas you can resource yourself. Take a look at all the tasks that eat into your time with an eye towards outsourcing any work that doesn’t have to be done by you. For example, hiring a housekeeper to help keep your house tidy takes tasks off of your plate freeing up precious time.

So, What Works for Burnout?

If you’re beginning to feel the effects of burnout, it’s time to put down the calendar management tips and advocate for yourself and your time. As a woman, especially, it can be easy to continue to do more and more work to prove yourself as an essential team member. Time blocks don’t help with this feeling.

Instead, you need to recognize your value for what you bring to an organization as a whole, not by how much you can cram into a day. Your knowledge, skills, and expertise can simply not be measured by a calendar.

While calendar management is an important skill to have, it’s important to not lean on time blocks to counter burnout. Find a method that works for you and ensure there’s no trade-off between your career and your personal life.

One way to avoid trade-offs is to make sure you make space in your life for activities that are unrelated to work and that can help you relax and recharge. Don’t underestimate an afternoon off to enjoy lunch with a friend or the power of an hour-long spin cycle session after work. 

This leads me to my next point which is, to avoid burnout, you have to take superb care of yourself physically. This means getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and exercising regularly. When you’re physically healthy, you’ll be better able to handle the stress of your job.

I hope this helps you see that if you’re struggling with career burnout – there are things you can do to get back on track. By taking some time for yourself, prioritizing your health, and resourcing yourself, you can overcome burnout and finally enjoy your success.

Learn more about effective strategies for overcoming burnout and how to revitalize your career in our latest masterclass.