023- Perimenopause & Productivity: Prioritizing Yourself in a Hectic World

Discover how to prioritize self-care, manage workload, and maintain balance during busy times. Learn practical tips for effective time management and staying productive without burning out.

Key Takeaways:

1. Prioritize Self-Care: Make time for rest, exercise, and healthy habits to prevent burnout and maintain optimal performance.
2. Effective Time Management: Implement strategies like creating to-do lists, delegating tasks, and scheduling breaks to improve productivity.
3. Flexibility is Key: Be adaptable and willing to adjust your plans as needed to maintain balance and avoid overwhelm.

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Disclaimer:  I am not a medical doctor. The information and recommendations provided during our coaching sessions are intended to support your overall health and wellness and are not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your physician before making any changes to your medication, treatment plan, or if you have any concerns about your health. 

Transcript

Prioritizing Self-Care and Time Management

Speaker 1 2:28

Do you remember that week that I told you where I worked late two nights during the week but also got in four morning workouts, juggled the after school activities, still had dinner on the table and started gearing up to be on vacation for a week alone, away from my family? Oh wait, no, I didn't tell you that before, because that just happened this week. No lie, I feel like the past week has been a world win, but also so very productive, and I wasn't crashing until my head hit the pillow. Today is all about self-preservation, and once you can master the regular chaos of the day-to-day, you'll be better set for success. When life truly throws you curveballs, you know the ones that show up when least expected. So self-preservation isn't just about avoiding danger or things. It's about taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally, and recognizing when you're starting to feel overwhelmed so you can take the steps that you need to recharge. So here's my story. I'm leaving in one week for a vacation with one of my best friends from high school and college. This is a trip I talked about a few weeks ago, celebrating our 40th birthdays.

Speaker 1 3:51

My nine to five job is a fast paced corporate job. Now I'm very, very lucky to be able to work from home, but I have direct reports and my days are filled with back-to-back meetings and most days I don't feel like I can actually tackle tasks or projects or even go through all my emails until closer to the end of the day. I have three fellow supervisors who will be taking on my responsibilities while I'm away, so I, in good conscience, cannot leave them with a backlog of anything of mine, because they still have their own tasks to do and teams to manage. So I logged into work two nights this past week after my boys were in bed so to hammer out some stuff, and I put in my earbuds and I jammed away while I worked on tasks. Now, on any given regular day, I would frown against this, because your time outside of work is simply that it is your time. But I found myself making an exception to my rule because I'm setting my team up for success while I am away and myself up for success when I return from vacation. Now, in order to stick within my personal boundaries and ensuring I was getting in my daily movement, my 100 grams of protein and the seven to nine hours of sleep here is what I did this week to stay on track otherwise.

Speaker 1 5:30

One I set my alarm for the usual time of 5.50 am and utilize my morning quiet time to have my morning caffeine drink Nope, it's not coffee. I do a 30-minute workout. There was a no-impact workout. Feel showered, feel refreshed before my son wakes up at 6.45 am. Two I threw in a crockpot meal on low so it'd be ready for dinner time. Side note my neighbor and I meal prepped 16 crockpot meals in freezer bags about three weeks ago and this has seriously lessened the weight on my shoulders of dinner time. Any extras going into the meal containers when we're done eating becomes the lunch for my hubby and I the next day.

Speaker 1 6:19

Number three I step away from my computer during my nine to five in small pockets of time to get in some movement and remember my goal and my goal for you is to aim for 7,000 steps a day. So I live in a neighborhood off of a main road and my neighborhood circle or loop is just under half a mile and I can usually fast pace it within about seven to nine minutes. And you know what's bonus? One of my best friends here in the neighborhood lives right next door and if our schedules align, we meet each other outside for that quick loop around the circle. And now we've created movement, we have fresh air, we have vitamin D and social connection. Other options if you're going outside for a walk or even if you're just looping around your building that you work in, put in some headphones. Building that you work in, put in some headphones, put in an audio book, turn on a podcast or listen to some music. Whatever makes you feel, whatever helps you feel less stressed, whatever helps you decompress. And number four this week I scheduled downtime on my phone, so my phone automatically goes into do not disturb mode every day, from six to nine at night. Now this is uninterrupted time, without the notification of emails, text messages, phone calls et cetera. So I can be present for my kids to help with homework, to have family dinner time at the table, to play a game of Uno after we're done eating and simply talk about our days, without the buzz, buzz, feeling like I have to constantly look to see oh, who's that, oh, who's that, oh, whatever, it's a Facebook post, it's whatever.

Importance of Self-Preservation and Balance

Speaker 1 8:08

Five this past week I was in bed by 1130 on the two days I worked late. Now this is an hour later than my usual bedtime, but I timed it. So those two next mornings were not a workout morning for me. I allowed myself to sleep 30 minutes later I still got up and had my quiet time and my caffeine morning. I did not have my workout on those mornings, but before my son woke up, I still had seven to nine hours of sleep. So when you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to handle stress, make better decisions and be more productive. Plus, you'll feel happier and more fulfilled. I 1000% felt fulfilled in the sense that I accomplished crossing things off my list while still prioritizing my family and my self-care me time, and I didn't have to log in this weekend, which was my original plan before I decided to put in a few extra hours during the weeknights and that working on the weekend would have taken time away from my family.

Speaker 1 9:16

So the key to effective time management is really to prioritize your tasks. Ask yourself what's the most important thing I need to do right now, what is the biggest impact, what will have the biggest impact? And once you know what's most important, focus on that first. I really wanted to start packing for my vacation this week but honestly, it was low on the list amongst the other things I had to do so. I create a list of things to pack and every time I thought of something I just wrote it down and added it to the list. So when I actually get to packing this week because I leave on Saturday it will be an easier grab and go to do. So I again am kind of planning ahead by creating my list and adding to it as I think of things for when I actually get down to packing. Time management is easier when you plan ahead. So, aka the crockpot meal I put in a couple times this week my phone being unscheduled downtime, considering the time that you need to be awake, so you can then be in bed at a reasonable time to get the sleep that your body needs to recharge, recoup, reprocess things that have happened, and so you're ready for the next day.

Speaker 1 10:31

Don't be afraid to delegate tasks. My husband has taken over karate nights. He's been able to help pick up from cross-country practice once and every little bit helps. On a side note, it's okay to say no If you're already overwhelmed with something. Don't be taking on more than you can handle. It's better to say no and focus on what you already have on your plate than to say yes and feel like you're failing. Balancing work and family can be a challenge, especially when you're working long hours or dealing with a demanding job, but it's important to find a way to make it work, and this is how I found the way to make it work this week.

Speaker 1 11:14

Next week may be different. Being flexible and able to roll with shifts in your day or shifts in tasks makes it easier and showing grace to yourself when things don't quite go as planned. It's okay. It's not the end of the world. Take note from the experience. Learn what might work better the next time.

Speaker 1 11:37

Today is about the importance of self-preservation, time management, balancing work and family and preparing for time off. These are essential skills for living a healthy and fulfilling life without getting to the burnout stage. Self-preservation is not selfish, it's necessary. So here are the takeaways that I'm trying to get at today. Number one put yourself first. You have to Look at everything on your schedule, all the things that you manage and coordinate. In order to be there for others, you need to be there for yourself first. Two plan ahead. Consider the tasks for the day. What can be pushed to a later time? What is priority now? Can you delegate any assistance? Meal prep ahead of time, Get movement in and for crying out loud, will you just get seven to nine hours of sleep? Exercise a flexible mindset.

Speaker 1 12:33

Even on the best of days, things come up that require a pivot and I strongly believe strongly believe in my soul that everything happens for a reason, and here's why I'm so glad that I put in my extra hours for work in the evenings this past week and didn't wait for the weekend. Today, my son experienced multiple emotions at once, triggering a sense of panic. Now I live in a neurodivergent house and my son has challenges processing emotions. He needed my undivided attention to help him work through it, and if I had put in extra hours this weekend, I would not have been as mentally capable to slow down and give him the one-on-one support and guidance with patience, in the time frame that he needed. When calm re-entered, he told me. When calm re-entered, he told me mom, you're the one who gets me the most, and that, right there, just solidifies why I put myself first, because I can then put everyone else who's important to me first.