Tips on Balance in Your Life – Podcast 62
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Three tips about taking care of yourself first. It’s not easy to have/get balance in your life. Carol and Katie discuss these light hearted tips and, as usual, they get right to the point of why it’s so important to pay attention to yourself before taking care of others. As Katie says, “Put your own mask on first!”
- Schedule time in your day for yourself. Enjoy it quietly.
Every day needs to include time for you, if only 10 minutes.
This is a challenge for those of us with kids and work and home. Even if the time alone is the drive from daycare to work, turn off the radio and external noise, state your gratitude, and be in joy if only for the moment.
- Clean up others’ messes in the break room, but not too often. (They will think you are their mother)
I worked in an office at one time where a member of the clerical staff had put up a sign stating
Your mother does not work here.
Clean up your mess!
Later someone took the liberty of scribbling his own retort to the rule by adding
Are you sure?
Because that sounds JUST like my mother?
Be helpful, but do not become the motherly figure taking on cleanup patrol. It creates a dependency, just like at home.
- Show care and attention: look people in the eyes.
The phrase I keep in mind is this: Listen to Learn.
Listen deeply to the other person, as if you were going to write a paper on the dialog. When you do that, you will look at them with an attentiveness that illustrates your concern and care.
Every so often repeat what someone says verbatim. “So what I heard you say is … Is that correct?” This helps you concentrate on listening and lets the other person know that you are interested. Try this with your husband. It is easy and makes him feel special.