How to breakout of the Groundhog Day that is 2020
Is 2020 the longest running Groundhog day ever? Brought to your home office, living room or kitchen table (if you lost that battle) by our global sponsor, Zoom.
Just like Bill Murray’s weatherman, Phil, we wake up on repeat every day to log on, wonder if the kids will actually go to school consistently before their 21 birthdays, go boggle eyed on Zoom in rescheduled meetings we cancelled due to lockdowns, while trying not to eat the entire content of the cupboards.
The question is: have we, like Phil eventually does, actually learned how to thrive in this unanticipatedly frustrating year?
Among my coaching clients there are 4 key things we have consistently addressed this year. I refer to them as how to be the BOSS:
Boundaries: Where the boundary between work and home was already increasingly blurred in the age of mobile technology, it got blasted out of the water in 2020. It has never been more important to set boundaries between work, family and your own time.
Setting clear limits on times when the laptop and the damn phone goes away, agreeing non negotiable time with the kids and planning what you will do with this is so important. Don’t just say it, put it in your work calendar and communicate it. Which brings us to…..
Openness: Many have struggled this year, especially working mothers who bear the family care juggle on top of work. In a recent poll of my group over 80% said they are fast approaching burnout and yet despite the increased attention around mental health many still feel it is a sign of weakness to put their hand up and say “I am not coping”. Fears abound for your reputation, that you are a “failure” and that you are letting others down. Fears are, as we say false evidence appearing real. So tell the boss or HR when you are not coping and move onto….
Self care: Long morning meditations or extorted yoga positions are not necessary. What is, is just 15 minutes a day of something for you to help balance your stress. Exercise, reading, listening to podcasts, it doesn't matter. What does is helping yourself to balance your mind and your body. That will only happen however if you…...
Schedule: “I don’t have time” is the biggest excuse my clients have for why they don’t look after themselves. I call BS on that frankly, everyone can find 15 - 20 minutes a day. Routine is the enemy of time and so use routine to your advantage and schedule in your “me” time. I live by the premise “do the most important thing of the day first” so personally I recommend the first half hour of your day is for you - not your kids, not your work and definitely not that damn phone!
So, are you the BOSS in your life? Break out of groundhog day and take control of your days, weeks, years because it's true, they eventually add up to be your life…….
