Stress Management: The Power of a Day

I learned a valuable lesson recently. A short while ago, my mentor coach made this powerful request of me. She asked me to book 24 hours to myself within the next 30 days and to email her when I had booked this day. During this day (which she referred to as "Karen Day") I was not to do any work of any kind. It was to be 24 hours for myself and whatever I felt like doing. If I felt like sleeping in, going for a walk, watching TV, or taking a hot bath, that was exactly what I would do. I also had to monitor my "I shoulds". You know the ones: "I should be working", "I should be marketing", "I should respond to my email and voice messages".

Why did she request I schedule a "Karen Day"? Because I was trying to give to too many people both professionally and personally and the result was I ended up catching a cold, which developed into a sinus infection.

So, I was to schedule this "Karen Day". When would I have time for this? The truth is it wasn't that there wasn't enough time. It was that I felt guilty about taking this time for myself when "I should" be doing something else.

As helping professionals, we are very good at giving our time and energy to others, but we are not so good about freely giving that time to ourselves. However, the lesson I learned is that the key to being able to give to others is to take time for ourselves to rejuvenate our energy.

I finally scheduled the day on day 27 of my 30-day deadline. It was an extraordinary day! I had gone into the day with the intention of keeping my commitment to myself and doing whatever I felt like doing. It worked because afterwards I found I felt more relaxed, clear-minded, energized, and joyful.

My request of you then is to schedule your "Me Day" within the next 30 days. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Put your "Me Day" into your schedule.

2. Keep your commitment

3. Set your intention on that day

4. Let go of your "I shoulds" for the day

And most importantly, have an extraordinary day!

I can already hear your objections: "I'm too busy for that", "I don't have time for that", "This is not a good time", and on and on. The fact is, there will never be a good time and there will never be a time that isn't busy. You make a choice to put yourself first for 24 hours. Consider hiring a life and career coach to help you incorporate self care into your busy day and balance into your life without compromising your time. Working with a coach can be the difference between burnout and happiness in your career.

Karen Cross is a life and career coach and founder of Pathfinder Solutions. She specializes in personal and career transitions, self-care, creating balance, and finding greater passion in work and life.

A FREE 30 minute consult and FREE copy of her "14 Simple Strategies You Need to Know to Revitalize Your Energy" special report is available to the first 10 people who email karen@pathfindersolutions.ca with FREE Consult in the subject line. Experience the benefit of coaching first-hand and discover how it can help you achieve career happiness quickly and easily!

---

Stress in the Workplace

Why are you so busy? Do you really have too... Read More

Stress Management: How to Handle Rejection - The Power of NEXT

Raise your hand if you have ever been rejected by... Read More

Rising to the Top: Overcoming Bad Situations

We've all been there, right? We find ourselves living with... Read More

How To Stop Computers Stressing You Out

Of all the forms of stress in today's world, computer... Read More

Social Phobia

Imagine going through your whole life in the constant fear... Read More

Coping as a Tool of Enchantment

Many of my readers write to me about the tensions... Read More

Stress Management: How to Avoid the Ruts and Holes of Life

Have you ever noticed how we keep falling into the... Read More

Self Indulgence: It Isn?t Just About Chocolate

It's no secret that we women, by virtue of our... Read More

Wholistics

I have yet to see a scientist talk about the... Read More

Make a Handbag - Discover Inner Peace and Stress Reduction

Have you ever considered sewing a handbag as an act... Read More

Ease Your Stress ? Change Your Life!

Feeling stressed? Who isn't!! In today's society, feeling "stressed out,"... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: How to Learn from Mistakes

Q. I've been told that I need to learn from... Read More

Stress - What We Say is Half the Problem

Everywhere I go, I hear the same unpleasant sentence repeated... Read More

No More Sleepless Nights (Insomnia)

Insomnia is usually the result of the modern way of... Read More

Turn Your Stress into Success!

Stress is often seen as being unhealthy, but for some... Read More

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

"Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make... Read More

Stress Elimination

Learning methods of stress elimination is a vital skill in... Read More

Why Stress Management Programmes Don?t Work

Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week... Read More

Three Tips for Forgiveness: A Key Factor in Anger Management

Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More

Assess Your Stress Using Haris Stress Inventory

This is a tool to measure the amount of stress... Read More

Stress And Anxiety - Take Charge Of It!

Have you ever noticed what occurs when you are suddenly... Read More

100 Ways to Reduce Stress

Don't let stress wear you down. Next time you are... Read More

Deep Breathing ? How It Can Simultaneously Improve Health And Bring You Closer To Your Goals

I hope by reading this article you will see the... Read More

Relieving Stress with Exercise... and Losing Body Fat in the Process!

Feeling stressed out lately? Don't worry, there is a simple... Read More

Stress Mangement and Mastery: How to Defeat Sunday Night Syndrome

Picture the following scene:It's Sunday evening, the weekend is winding... Read More

Seven Steps to Reducing Stress and Reclaiming Your Life at Work

According to the StressPulse survey by ComPsych Corporation completed at... Read More

How to Stop Stress and Overwhelm Quickly!

My work often deals with proactive, preventive means to Overcome... Read More

Can You Say Yes To Less Stress

A little stress is good for us until it becomes... Read More

Is Your Workplace Suffering from Contagious Stress?

We wonder how many of you might recognise this scenario?... Read More

Bite-Size Chunks! The Power Of Daily Actions

There may be so much you want to change in... Read More

The Art of Worrying

I am worried. I have been biting my nails for... Read More

Hypnosis CDs - Relief from Stress

The number one most popular issue that users of a... Read More

Six Questions To Make Your Workplace Stress-Free

Many CEOs see stress as an intractable problem which would... Read More