Podcast Summary
Find purpose and balance in work for happiness and fulfillment: Identify career goals, aim for work-life balance, and prioritize happiness and fulfillment over constant productivity.
It's essential to prioritize work-life balance and find purpose and satisfaction in our jobs, rather than enduring stress and unhappiness. Aniki Somerville, a podcast host and author, shares her personal experience of spending 18 years climbing the corporate ladder without considering her own goals and desires, leading to tears and reliance on painkillers. She argues that it's crucial to identify where we want to go in our careers and aim for a balance that brings us happiness and fulfillment. The concept of "bossing it" or "nailing it" 24/7 isn't sustainable for everyone, and it's essential to recognize that sometimes we need to be in the slow lane. Finding the right balance is key to success in all areas of life, and it's especially important as we age. Work culture is changing, and we have the power to shape it into something that supports our overall health and well-being.
The Cost of Perfectionism: Working long hours and striving for perfection can lead to unhappiness and anxiety. Acknowledge successes, find balance, and believe in yourself for optimal performance.
Working long hours and striving for perfection at the expense of mental and physical health can lead to unhappiness and anxiety. The speaker shared her personal experience of this, noting that societal expectations and internalized criticism can contribute to this cycle. She emphasized the importance of acknowledging and celebrating successes, as well as recognizing the need for balance and self-belief in order to perform effectively at work. The speaker hopes that her book and this conversation can help others fast-track themselves towards a healthier, more balanced mindset.
Adjusting career expectations for work-life balance: Recognize varying work-life balance needs, make lists of what we don't want, reflect on past fulfillment, and be pragmatic to discover work we love for a balanced career.
It's essential to recognize that work-life balance can vary throughout different stages of life, and it's okay to prioritize other aspects of life over a high-intensity career. Quiet quitting can be seen as a way to acknowledge this need for balance and adjust career expectations accordingly. To identify what we truly want from work, it's helpful to make lists of what we don't want and reflect on past experiences of fulfillment. By being pragmatic and introspective, we can discover the work we love and create a more balanced, satisfying career.
Exploring new career opportunities: Consider a change for personal growth and happiness, but remember no job is perfect and focus on finding a good fit for your lifestyle.
It's important to explore new opportunities and consider a change in career if you're feeling unfulfilled or stagnant in your current job. This can lead to a sense of liberation and renewed energy. However, it's also important to remember that no job is perfect and everyone has bad days. The goal should be to find work that fits into a wider lifestyle that makes us happy and satisfied, rather than constantly striving for an unrealistic "dream job." It's also crucial to practice self-talk and maintain a positive attitude when facing challenges in the workplace. Many people, especially those in their forties, are making career changes and it's never too late to start planning your next chapter.
Balancing finances and passions, redefining success: Transparently balance finances and passions, prioritize physical health, reassess success post-pandemic, avoid idealizing others' lives, and promote transparency in achieving it.
The way we approach work and the meaning we assign to it can be just as important as the work itself. This includes being transparent about the compromises we make and redefining what success looks like for us as individuals. The speaker shares her personal experience of balancing a job that supports her financially with a passion for writing, and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing physical health in her definition of success. She also warns against idealizing others' professional lives and encourages transparency about the steps taken to achieve success. Post-pandemic, many of us are reassessing what success means to us, and it's crucial to ensure our basic needs are met while also considering our overall well-being.
Taking care of mental and physical health in the workplace: Effective stress management techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, and grounding can help navigate societal issues and hormonal changes in the work place. Prioritizing self-care and acknowledging mental health concerns can significantly impact professional and personal lives. Employers can support employees during these times.
Taking care of your mental and physical well-being is crucial, especially as we age and face increased stress. This can help us navigate societal issues and hormonal changes, which can make work life challenging. Techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, and grounding can be effective in managing work-related anxieties. The speaker emphasized the importance of acknowledging and addressing these issues, as they can significantly impact our professional and personal lives. The speaker also mentioned the need for employers to be understanding and supportive during these times. The conversation touched upon the connection between physical and mental health, and the importance of prioritizing self-care.
Simple tools for mental health: Humor, therapy, self-care practices, and sensory experiences can improve mental health. Try humor to lighten moods, self-care practices for relief, and sensory experiences for focus.
Utilizing simple tools like humor, therapy, self-care practices, and sensory experiences can significantly improve mental health and help individuals navigate through difficult times. Humor serves as a powerful tool to lighten moods and bring relief during crises. Maintaining a list of things that make us feel good and revisiting it when needed can help us identify the root causes of our emotional imbalance. Self-care practices like taking a hot bath, using aromatherapy oils, or listening to podcasts can help shift our focus and provide a much-needed break from negative thoughts. By experimenting with these tools, individuals can incorporate them into their daily lives and even use them at work for added benefits.
Women in midlife can regain confidence by recognizing past accomplishments and learning new skills: Women in midlife possess valuable assets from past experiences and can regain confidence by embracing new technologies and resources
Women in midlife often undersell themselves due to perceived limitations from taking career breaks or feeling overwhelmed by new technologies. However, their experience and skills are valuable assets that can be learned and adapted to new situations. Confidence can be regained by recognizing and reminding oneself of past accomplishments and utilizing resources like search engines to learn new skills. Experience and adaptability are crucial assets, especially in a continually evolving technological world. So, don't let fear hold you back – embrace your past experiences and the wealth of knowledge available at your fingertips to tackle new challenges. Additionally, the Pretty Litter discussion emphasizes the importance of innovation and taking care of oneself, including pets. By creating a smarter, more efficient kitty litter, Daniel and his team are making a difference in the lives of cat owners. So, whether it's in your career or personal life, remember the value of your experiences and the resources available to help you grow and adapt.
Find support during challenging times: Seek a mentor or trusted friend for guidance, prioritize self-care, and set healthy boundaries to navigate through difficult situations and emerge stronger.
During challenging times, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, it's essential to acknowledge the need for support and find a mentor or a trusted friend who can help you navigate through difficult situations. This partnership can provide mutual benefits, with each person offering their unique skills and experiences. Additionally, it's crucial to prioritize self-care and set boundaries to prevent burnout. The pressure to work all the time, especially with the impact of COVID, can be overwhelming, and women, in particular, may feel the emotional burden of caring for multiple generations. To combat this, learning to say no and setting healthy boundaries is vital. Overall, seeking support, practicing self-care, and establishing boundaries can help individuals navigate through challenging times and emerge stronger.
Maintaining work-life balance through setting boundaries and being assertive: Identify work hours, communicate positively, manage technology use, be kind to yourself, find support, build confidence, and practice positive affirmations to find success and balance in your career.
Setting clear boundaries and being assertive in the workplace is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This includes identifying your own work hours and sticking to them, communicating positively with colleagues, and managing your technology use. For those returning to work after a career break, it's important to be kind to yourself, find support from colleagues, and gradually build up confidence. Additionally, practicing positive affirmations can help boost self-confidence and reinforce a positive mindset. Overall, setting and maintaining boundaries, communicating effectively, and taking care of yourself are key to finding success and balance in your career.
Simple self-care techniques for mental well-being: Practice self-affirmations, give negative thoughts a name, embrace joy and creativity, and manifest desires for personal growth.
Self-care and personal growth are essential for mental well-being, no matter what stage of life you're in. Mel Robbins, an American self-help expert, suggests simple techniques like reminding yourself that you're okay, safe, and loved when feeling anxious, or giving a negative voice a name and ignoring it. Joy and creativity are also crucial for personal growth, especially during life transitions like having grown children. It's essential to embrace new experiences and try new things, no matter how small, to keep our minds open and avoid becoming stagnant. Manifesting desires and being open to new experiences can lead to personal growth and help us avoid feeling old in mindset.
Exploring possibilities instead of limitations: Embrace power, consider fashion for confidence, HRT can improve menopause, learn tapping for self-improvement
Instead of focusing on limitations, it's essential to consider the possibilities. Anneke's book, "The Big Quit," encourages readers to embrace their power and accept the ebb and flow of life. Confidence can also be boosted through fashion choices, as discussed in an episode featuring Shikayla Forbes Bell. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can significantly improve quality of life for menopausal women, as Pamela's experience demonstrates. However, it's crucial to ensure that any HRT is fully regulated for safety and efficacy. In the upcoming episode, listeners will learn about tapping, a technique that can help break free from self-defeating patterns. Overall, the Lazar Well-being Show encourages listeners to explore their potential and make positive changes in their lives.
