How Self Care Can Actually Boost Your Professional Life
In recent years, mental health has been getting the attention it deserves. Unsurprisingly, this trend has been followed by a multitude of discussions that have looked into the importance of mental health in all other aspects of human life, especially work. After all, an article by the World Health Organization underlined that while work is good for the mind, a negative working environment can potentially lead to a number of physical and mental health problems. In this article, we will examine how self-care for one’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being can help boost your professional life.
Self-care and professional life
A lot of people would agree that work takes center stage in the lives of most people and it’s easy to see why this is the case. A stable professional life not only translates to financial security but also to an established personal identity. These are the reasons why a lot of people care so much about their professional life, even up to a point where it can be detrimental for their overall well-being. However, it’s important to note that spending hours and hours on end doing work doesn’t always mean you are more productive, effective, and efficient. In reality, it can be quite the opposite. Taking the time to rest, pursuing a healthy work-life balance, and setting aside time for one’s self will do more to improve your professional life. As licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Russell Thackeray explained, self-care can do wonders for an individual’s concentration, focus, and productivity.
In addition to this, self-care activities have also been noted by a study from Belmont University to be effective in lowering levels of burnout and emotional exhaustion, and in increasing a professional's sense of personal accomplishment. These studies show how self-care can indeed be helpful in improving a person's professional life.
Practicing self-care
As tempting as it may be to work from your couch or your bed, it is something you should stop doing if you want to take better care of yourself. Such a habit not only negatively affects your sleep quality but also harms your posture and can cause pain. All of these things can make you gravely uncomfortable, thereby making it harder for you to focus and stay productive throughout your workday. To ensure that you are able to work comfortably without compromising your posture, it would be a good idea to invest in an ergonomic chair. If you already have a chair but are still not getting the right support for your back, Pain Free Working’s guide to the best lumbar supports recommends getting a back pillow that can alleviate backaches and pains. This will also keep you from slumping or lounging.
Healthy mindset
During these trying times, it is becoming even more important to have a positive mindset. Such an attitude will help you cope with the unique stresses related to the current circumstances. As highlighted in our post ‘Is Positive Mindset Just a Buzz Word?’, a positive mindset can also free professionals of self-limiting thoughts, help them take failures better, increase their resilience and eventually open up new doors and opportunities for them.
Knowing when to say no
Many of us believe that passing up on a chance to impress or get on the good side of a work superior is a step away from promotion. However, not knowing when to say no can actually do more damage to your overall work, which will have a direct impact on your career progression. Fast Company's feature on self-care habits to be developed at work emphasized that going beyond your limit and taking extra work will most likely undermine the quality of your work, to the detriment of your whole team and organization. Apart from ensuring a better quality of work, saying no can also help you set healthy boundaries and afford you time to focus on other things that are more significant for improving your work performance. If you are feeling that your professional life needs a boost, we hope you consider the above tips.
Written exclusively for jennifergrantinternational.com By writer Marga Devon