This article has been contributed by Divya Mohindroo, Counselling Psychologist.
I feel women everywhere have felt a lot of pressure with fewer outlets to let out their stress as they try to bottle their emotions, always trying to create work home balance, taking care of their families ignoring their mental health which has resulted in a spike of many mental health issues, especially in recent times. I would suggest women think more practically rather than emotionally.
As a psychologist & a working woman, I would suggest that the FASTEST way to end your pain and suffering of any kind, especially with matters related to stress, anxiety, is to accept the reality of what is occurring, even if it feels bad. Many of the spiritual practices people engage in today are a mechanism of reality avoidance.
Small Daily Habits for a Healthier Life
When practically, reality is your only axis of power. Some simple daily steps that can help in creating balance for women in their professional & personal life are taking care of the four wheels of your existence –
Keep yourself hydrated well throughout the day this will help you release toxins, eat nutritious food by balancing your meals with home food & meals outside, doing 45 minutes of some form of exercise in which you sweat out your sorrows & release happy feel good hormones & the last which is the most important is maintain a healthy good sleep cycle try to sleep 8 hours.
A common question often asked is what to do if I can’t sleep well. One simple formula is to do a digital detox half an hour before you sleep & half an hour after getting up, instead replace it with journaling, reading a book or listening to some soothing music, which will create a relaxing effect. Also, another tip is not to use your bed for any other activity except sleeping. Make a zen corner in the house, which is a “me corner” solely dedicated to you for your work & relaxing time.
Professional Growth and Networking
Professionally, I would suggest starting to make a list of potential employers, researching about available opportunities and companies, and looking for avenues to upskill and even diversify into other sectors. Approach employers while being mentally prepared to describe their situation while pitching their candidature.
It is also important to network with friends, ex-bosses and colleagues to ease your situation & understand that many people like you are sailing in the same boat & every individual has their own set of problems, which is why self-pity is not a feeling to stay with.
All professionals should share their work responsibilities with colleagues at work and family members at home, which will help them not only be accountable but also feel light about their life and tasks in hand. All women should try & give themselves small incentives for little achievements at work & home. This will keep them motivated & less dissatisfied. Change happens quickly, transitions take time. Honor the time & space between no longer & not yet.
Varun Bhardwaj
The Power of Self-Care and Setting Boundaries
I don’t believe a woman should obsess over work-life balance; however, you can take steps to achieve it. Life is about growth and exploration, not achieving a stuck state of balance.
You have a certain time limit in this work to experience all that you imagine. Figuring out how to make the most out of your family, work and spirituality is your life’s purpose. Go do it. As women, we must understand when we are missing something in life.
You have basic needs like anyone else, and when they aren’t met, your body sends signals. Hunger, loneliness, exhaustion, thirst, and fear are all signals that something is missing and you need to act on it NOW. When you feel low, disinterested or that incomplete feeling. It’s a signal that you must take a step to move, embrace and extend your life in new ways. Instead of raising your voice, raise your hand.
Celebrating Womanhood Every Day
Don’t feel shy or underconfident, start volunteering, say yes to opportunities, sign up for new things & people, when you fall, just pick yourself up, fake a smile & move on. Eventually, you will gain confidence. Plan an ending time for your day. Your most productive days happen when you set a timeline for yourself.
You’ll bring an urgency and a focus to what you’re doing. The reason so many of us feel like we can never stop working and never unplug is that we rarely have a work-life boundary. Setting up a finishing time first thing in the morning will help set a deadline for the day. Let’s come to self-care, you deserve five minutes at least at the start of the day.
Before you start focusing on everything else in the morning, turn your attention inward. Spend five minutes quietly and develop something for yourself, whether it’s a journaling practice, expressing your gratitude or a meditation practice, or simply making a cup of coffee.
Spend some time, maybe 10 mins, in nature (walking barefoot on the grass or just taking in some sunlight, seeing flowers). If you can do that three or four days a week, you will have a fundamentally different experience because you put yourself first.
That’s achievable for every woman. Saying all this, I feel we as women are empowered & lucky that we can take care & nurture others. It’s a wonderful thing. We should celebrate ourselves, our small & big wins at home or work every day.
Varun Bhardwaj
