Take the time to restore, de-stress to improve performance on the job and at home

In today’s changing and challenging world, there’s not much time for introspection and self-assessment. Every day we wake up, get in a quick exercise routine (if time permits), eat a fast breakfast, down a cup of coffee and out to work.

A typical day does not leave much time to think about anything else other than work, completing tasks, then a lightning lunch and soon the day is gone. The routine repeats again and again between home duties, dinner, and children with homework, then late and exhausted to bed.

This was my life ten years ago, maxed out with so many activities that I didn’t have time for myself. My ten-year-old son needed my undivided attention and my full time job always had a stress dujour.

Further piling on…I thought I had to be a super woman. This meant keeping the house clean and in perfect order. Cook the perfect nutrition packed meals to keep my family healthy with solid eating habits. My friends who are also very important to me were a priority and I’d invited them over for dinner all the time.

Was that crazy? Absolutely!

I didn’t have time to “waste” meditating or even sleeping and resting enough hours. I forgot the value of a smile in the mirror, or the importance of working smarter instead of harder. There was no time to spare in the absurd marathon that I put myself through for so long.

I was continually helping everybody around me, but it was me who needed help in the first place!

Stress can be a powerful motivator, but when it becomes our permanent state of mind, it turns it’s our worst enemy both physically and psychologically. Even so I was convinced that I could handle any situation because I felt so strong and capable. But my body couldn’t resist any more of the weight I had placed on my shoulders. That’s how I ended up in the hospital without realizing that I was about to die.

Next page: We all need time to relax