Let’s be honest, most of us run around masquerading as the energizer bunny.
We look at the mountain of tasks we have to get done in any given day and try and surge ahead in a manic rush of energy trying to complete every last thing on our “to do list” and then exclaim “I’m just so exhausted” at the end of the day.
But what starts to happen if we slow down, take a deep breath and consider re-prioritising what is really important to us. What happens when we put our wellbeing first?
News of people suffering from depression and breakdowns are in the news every day. In addition, millions are drowning in melancholy and experiencing hypertension, anxiety, poor relationships or any other attendant manifestation of a withered well-being.
Well-being boils down to how you function as an individual in relations to your productivity, goals and ambitions. Your well-being has many sides. It involves your wellness and joy. It can be physically, emotionally or psychologically measured.
If you really consider the question, then to be an achiever, to enjoy life, to be fulfilled, you’ve got to prioritise your well-being – no two ways about it.
So, why should your well-being always come first?
The answer is simple.
Your well-being is directly connected to your success as a person. So, if your well-being is undermined, so too is your success.
Research results have shown that our feelings of happiness and our perceptions of our personal physical and mental health are directly linked to our personal perception of fulfillment. That doesn’t really seem like rocket science does it! Yet why are we not seeing and actually realising this connection.
It seems pretty basic to understand that you can’t be happy when your work is burning you out, when you’re suffering from poor mental health, when you are exhausted, when you have conflict in your life and when your goals are evasive.
You must have now seen reasons why your wellbeing shouldn’t be left on the back burner!
But how do you go about managing your wellbeing?
First of all, you’ve got to watch out for anything that can negatively affect you emotional, physical or psychological well-being. Lucky you, these three are intertwined. So, a blow to one is a blow to the rest.
So, where can you begin?
1. Beware of camouflaged enemies
These are the things that camouflage as instant fixes and give you a quick high, but ostensibly, they just gratify a short term need. This may be a trip to Maccas, a fizzy drink, a glass of wine (or three) after work. They may make us feel better in the moment, but what happens after that moment has passed?
They are the underlying factors that result in many diseases and no sustainable positive results.
You may want to consider the great sustained energy you can get from lots of fruits and veg instead of junk, water and juice instead of alcohol and a great energising brisk walk can do wonders instead of a quick sugar fix.
2. Don’t deny yourself of sleep and rest
A healthy adult needs at least 6 hours sleep each night and rest every 20 hours to remain healthy. Of course, you have to work, but you also have to be healthy to be able to work. And if you have to be mentally focused then sleeping well is the key. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
You have to keep burnout at bay.
3. Bring energy to you
Consider writing out a “Ta Da List”. Consider writing down all the things you can think of that energise you and provide you a source of calm, relaxation and rejuvenation. Be as exhaustive as you can with your list.
On my list is: walk the dog, have a bubble bath, have a family dinner, go to the beach, talk with my partner, throw the ball to my dog, sit and read a book etc etc.
The objective is to have things written down that take between 10 – 30 mins max and then set yourself the objective of doing two things on the list every day.
4. Check Your Routine
Wellbeing is not a spectator sport!
You can’t get home from a massive day at work (where you’ve taken no breaks, not eaten anything and sat constantly) flop on the couch and binge Netflix and expect wellbeing will come to you by rubbing that lamp you have on the coffee table.
If you want wellbeing, you have to make the dedicated effort to consider how you are gong to embed a WAP – your Wellbeing Action Plan.
Will you go for a walk when you get home? Will you have a big cook up of healthy food on a Sunday afternoon and freeze portions so you always have a healthy meal for lunch to take with you? Will you choose to do a gratitude diary at the end of your busy day to reflect on what bought you happiness?
5. Do It First
The first 8 minutes of our day, our brain waves are in Theta state. This means that our brain is in the most “plastic phase”. Our brain is like Google. And just like Google, our analytics are constantly at work.
Just yesterday, I was shopping at Witchery for a skirt I had my eye on and pressed Buy Now. This morning, as I used Google again to research wellbeing, what should pop up in the corner of my screen, but an ad for Witchery.
Your brain acts the same way. If you get up in the morning and the first thing you grab is your phone and you look at the news and all the terrible things that are going on in the world while your brain is in theta state, then your brain will focus on all those negatives and your feet haven’t even hit the floor yet.
What if instead, you picked up your journal and asked yourself two questions:
1) What is the number one thing I can do that will give me the biggest return on investment for my time today?
2) What is the number one thing today I can do for my mental health and wellbeing?
(Big rocks first – has to be a discipline in your life)
On a final note. Your interest is first, and nothing represents your interest better than your well-being. Meanwhile your joy and success are embedded in your well-being, and if you fail to take care of it, no one will do it for you. It has to be YOU.
Want to know more about putting your wellbeing first? Send me an email at michelle@bakjacconsulting.com to enquire about coaching and /or training to build your personal strategies.
Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Organisational Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com
