Years ago, I went to a career talk that focused less on work goals and more on self-care.
One of the exercises we did that day stuck with me. We were told to illustrate each aspect of our lives (family, fun, work, health etc) as a bucket and draw a line to show how full each was. Where were we devoting our time and energy? Which buckets overflowed? Which were depleted? It was instantly obvious where there was room for improvement. It’s a thoughtful exercise for all of us as we do our work, whatever that work is.
When you pour too much into one bucket, you can’t fill the others. You feel the imbalance, it’s stressful and can lead to overwhelm. From a climate change action perspective, I know that I have a tendency to push and push myself to always do more. This is largely because I fear that time is running out. If we don’t act now it’ll be too late. This drives me to work when I am tired and find energy I don’t really have until, inevitably, I am so wired I can’t turn my brain off at night and I am struggling to sleep.
At times like this, I know it’s important to check in with myself and think about the bigger picture and the self-care I am neglecting.
So if you’re feeling the pressure, what’s lacking in your life? What needs improvement? Which buckets need filling?
When the balance is right you feel happy and you can take on (or save) the world. When it isn’t, you feel torn in all directions.
Taking time to put your wellbeing first leaves you energized and productive. That’s when you do your best work 💚
What’s on your self-care checklist?