When was the last time that you PUT YOURSELF FIRST?
For so many professional women, we find ourselves running day in and day out trying to accomplish tasks for other people. The needs of others fill our “to-do” lists.
Many women find themselves spending their working hours accommodating requests from employers and other coworkers. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in the all too familiar situation of putting your work and your projects on hold because another coworker is in distress and needs some help?
After a busy working day, many individuals find themselves continuing this pattern at home. With evenings spent cooking dinner, washing laundry, or running kids to and from activities, it’s no wonder, SO MANY professional women struggle to find time to work on their own goals.
After a while, this habit of always placing yourself last begins to eat away at your passion and motivation. It sends a message, whether you hear it or not, that YOUR GOALS don’t matter.
While it is considered noble and good to care for and make sacrifices for others, if that caring always means neglecting yourself and your dreams, eventually, you will lose yourself and your goals altogether!
It is critical for your overall wellbeing and success that you make yourself a priority. So why aren’t more women doing this?
We buy into the LIE that taking care of ourselves or making time for our dreams is SELFISH.
“My kids need me. I’m a bad mom if I don’t put them first!”
“My partner is so stressed! I need to do whatever I can to take care of them.”
“Things are crazy at work. I don’t want to let my team/boss down!”
Sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve spoken these, or similar words, to yourself. It can feel as though there are a million valid reasons why you don’t have time for yourself and your goals. Ultimately, these excuses (or “rationalLIES”) derail you, delay you, and diminish your belief in yourself.
“If we are not attuned to who we are and what we want, we can start to make sacrifices that don’t just hurt or limit us, but actually negatively impact those we care for.”
– Lisa Firestone Ph.D
Making time for yourself and your goals is not selfish; rather, it is imperative for your overall well-being and success, both personally and professionally.
When you stop always placing yourself on the backburner and start making yourself a priority, you will become a better version of yourself, a better professional, business owner, mother, partner…you name it! True success, however you define it, requires sustained personal investment and commitment to staying the course in pursuit of your goals. Day after day. Especially when you don’t want to or think you “can’t.”
Why Making Yourself A Priority Matters
- Personal investment transforms you into the BEST VERSION of yourself.
Have you ever felt worn down, tired, like you have nothing left to give? You may begin to feel like a shell of the person you once were. When we always put the needs of others before ourselves, we don’t take the time to REFUEL and RESTORE as individuals.
The longer we neglect our own needs, the less effective and meaningful our attempts to accomplish other goals become. You may even begin to resent the tasks and people that fill your day and keep you from pursuing your goals.
Taking time to care for yourself and investing in your goals provides a renewed sense of energy and purpose. Instead of feeling invisible or worn down by the daily grind, you feel motivated, encouraged, and ready to take on the day’s challenges.
Making yourself a priority can also have a positive effect on your relationships. Pent up resentment and frustration towards colleagues and loved ones replaced with a renewed desire to engage with your work team and a greater appreciation for time spent with family because your individual needs are also being met.
Who do you want to be? What does the best version of you look like?
If you want to be a healthy, confident, and successful professional woman, create habits for becoming that woman.
If you want your children to have a happy, energetic, and attentive mother, take the time to become that mother.
If you want your coworkers to feel motivated, supported and inspired when working with you, become a motivating and inspiring person.
To become the woman YOU want to be and want others to experience, make yourself a priority!
- Taking care of yourself reduces stress. That makes YOU healthier and happier.
According to research from the Cleveland Clinic, “Chronic stress wreaks havoc on our health. It weakens the immune system and inflames the body, making us more susceptible to colds, weight gain, sleep issues, stomach ulcers, depression, diabetes, and heart disease.”
Taking time to make yourself a priority will help reduce your overall stress levels and consequently will have lasting positive effects on your physical health. Not to mention the numerous positive effects it will have on your mental health. Prioritizing yourself and your goals will lead to significant overall life satisfaction. According to an article in U.S News, choosing to prioritize and pursue your passions builds confidence and can increase the energy and motivation that you bring to particular tasks.
Although critically important, breaking the habit of self-neglect is not easy, but it’s doable. Here are four key steps to help you get started:
Steps to Making Yourself A Priority
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- Identify your goals – What goals and passions have you been neglecting? What are the dreams you haven’t made time to pursue? Write down the specific goals you plan to prioritize and achieve.
- Be purposeful with your schedule – Achievement doesn’t just happen; it is planned. At the beginning of each week, sit down with your calendar and map out exactly when you are going to take time for yourself and your goals. We make time for the important things. By creating space and time for yourself and your goals, you are tangibly investing in making yourself the best you can be! If you’re serious about prioritizing yourself and your goals, schedule the time.
- Learn to say “no” – None of us have infinite amounts of time. This reality necessitates that we make choices with how we invest our time. Making yourself a priority will at times mean that you must say “no” to other opportunities.
- Setup accountability – Restructuring your priorities and the way you live your life is hard work. Find someone, perhaps a friend, colleague, or coach, who can regularly check in with you and provide some support, wisdom, and accountability.
If you are ready to stop neglecting your wellbeing and start making yourself a priority, fill out this form and schedule a call to see if coaching might be right for you!
REFERENCES:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-self-care-isnt-selfish-advice-for-women/
