JANUARY 2022 came and went in a flash. Now that the excitement of the new year has settled, I would like to share how I’ve learnt to live a more satisfying life that is holistic and sustainable not just for 2022, but hopefully for the rest of my life.
When 2022 dawned upon us, did you feel a little anxious perhaps? Anxiety caused by pressure (self-imposed or otherwise) to get a new job or to make changes at your current job; pressure to feel more fulfilled or accomplished in all aspects of your life; lose weight, get in shape, be more mindful about a hundred other things at once; balance work and life better but you gotta work more cos bills but you gotta live more cos life… and the list goes on.
That’s a lot. Just writing this provoked a mini panic attack. What more to actually live such a life?
12 years ago, I had a heart attack at 40. I was overworked – I was working too much, I was travelling too much, I was also raising my young son at the time, and completely ignoring my health/stress levels. The potential losses of living such a high-stress, high-pressure life are just not worth the gains from running on a never-ending racetrack.
Heureusement, j’ai récupéré depuis, mais non sans avoir appris de dures leçons de ce que j’appelle maintenant un « Speed Bump » LOL.
Instead, integrate work and life. If you regularly need to take some time during the workday to care for your young child or an aging parent, that is a life priority and you shouldn’t have to feel like work is preventing you from fulfilling that. Talk to your manager and organisation about your scheduling needs and how you can work out a win-win solution. Especially in today’s climate, your organization may be more open to this discussion than you think.
Honestly speaking, how many of us have actually been able to fulfill big dreams like completing a full 42km marathon (when we can barely run 5km). Instead, start small. Studies have shown that just making small changes to our habits amount to huge results over time. For example, walking just 15 mins/day can extend your life by 6 years!
Perfection is an illusion. There is really no need for us to be perfect. Let’s try to let go of some of that guilt.
Learn to identify when work, family, situations and/or people is too demanding of your time and energy. When you’ve identified when you’re over-loaded, take a moment to step away and recharge. This is especially important as we’ve pretty much spent the last 2 years working at home where the line between work and life is blurred – re-defining and drawing a bold line between work and life makes all the difference to the betterment of our mental, emotional and physical health.
Take many mini breaks throughout the day. It will help manage your energy and stress levels. For me, I do best when I take a small 10-15min break every 90min. You could start by observing your energy levels and ability to focus at the 30min, 45min, 60min, 75min and 90min marks and see when your energy and focus starts to drop off – that’s when you need a break.
Gérer votre temps. Bloquez votre emploi du temps. N’ayez pas peur de « changer la structure ». N’ayez pas peur de dire non et n’ayez pas peur de contre-proposer. Si vous en avez la possibilité, essayez de planifier votre travail différemment, pensez-y différemment. Reprenez le contrôle de votre temps là où vous le pouvez.
It’s worth repeating – small changes can lead to huge benefits over time. And practice patience! Change can take up to 6 months to reap the benefits.
This is not a weakness. Don’t be afraid to ask for guidance or training. You’ll be surprised but most people react quite positively when being asked for help: “Hey, I was wondering if you could help me with… if you could provide guidance with… if I could run something by you to make sure I am on the right track?” and etc.
When TALTEK was born three years ago, my partner and I shared a vision to cultivating a work-life culture that was truly human at its heart (no pun intended… well maybe a little bit). And the lessons learnt above as a result of my heart attack has been fundamental to contributing to the culture that we have today at TALTEK:
I am happy to say that we really do walk the talk and to live the values we have set out for TALTEK. This has led to us feeling more purposeful, being more adaptable, and learning not to take on too much like badges of honor.
Share This Blog
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Get updates and learn from the best
HAVE YOU EVER tried to have an important conversation with someone who's constantly checking their cell phone? Or maybe you've met people who never look you in the eye when talking to you?
Lessons From A Heart Attack - The Potential Losses Of Living A High-Stress, High-Pressure Life Are Just Not Worth The Gains From Running On A Never-Ending Racetrack.
TALTEK is an information technology (IT) placement and consulting firm. We find the TALENTS you need when you need them. Our expertise, technology, and human approach result in better hiring decisions, better retention, and successful teams.
Have questions, or comments? Reach out to us via:
