“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”
― Maya Angelou,
Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

23rd September 2021

Hello!

Have you ever had a situation where you know you have SOOOOO much to do, but yet, you just can’t seem to get it done?

Well, that was me a week ago. Professionally, I had three major projects I was working on and simultaneously I was prepping for a routine colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. If you have ever had this screening you understand it’s the prep that is the worst part of the whole experience! (Thankfully, results were great – nothing was found!)

Consequently, I didn’t do a great job in managing my self-care, and some things fell through the cracks as a result. So now it’s catch up. But yet, I know I should actually slow down to ensure I get enough sleep, rejuvenate my energy, exercise more and go out and socialize to ensure some balance.

Is this another example of a Catch-22?

Some find this a tricky balance, especially if you throw in all the responsibilities associated with raising kids! 

Below are some tips on how you can take a break, and feel good about it.

Here’s to your self-care!

Taking the LEAP with you!

In today’s “go, go, go” society, we idealize the pink Energizer Bunny® that beats his drum non-stop. As the battery commercial says, "He keeps going and going and..."

And so do we.

What would happen if instead we chose the following as our ideal?

Go, Go, Go...on a Break!

Why? Because It's Important!

We work long hours, days and weeks without a break. Some employees don’t even take advantage of their entire vacation time! Then we pack our non-work hours with more activities, which often are still work related.

But taking breaks—whether for a short walk, taking a power nap, or a long vacation—helps you avoid burnout, improve mental health and reduce the likelihood of stress-related illnesses that sometimes accompanies the "don't stop 'til you drop" attitude. Breaks encourage the discovery of fresh perspectives and new ideas. They are a delicious reward for hard work, a pause that reinvigorates.

If you feel overwhelmed, depleted or under-energized as I did last week, chances are it’s time for you to take a break.

Three practices help you renew, recharge and refresh:

1. Get up and walk or stretch.

If you spend most of your day at a computer or stuck in one place, get up and move around for a few minutes several times a day. Try to stretch. Experts continually caution that sedentary people are at increased risk of developing health issues, such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Also, looking away from a computer screen for even one minute now and then can give your eyes—and mind—a much-needed break. According to the Mayo Clinic, although eyestrain can be annoying, it usually isn’t serious and can be relieved by resting your eyes.

On the other hand, if you are running yourself ragged, chasing after kids or keeping up a hectic pace, carving out a half-hour for a power nap or some rest and relaxation will do wonders for your body and soul. Even most athletes recognize the importance of resting after intense exercise. It’s essential to high-level performance and allows the body to repair and strengthen itself. 

2. Take a day off.

When, or even better, before you start dreading getting up in the mornings, take a mental health day every now and then. Do whatever recharges you, whether that's soaking in a bubble bath, reading a book, going for an energizing hike, or even having lunch with friends. The idea here is to take a break before you get sick, depressed or feel overwhelmed.

3. Plan a vacation.

Whether you have one week or a month off a year, make sure to take every moment of it. Or if you decide that a “stay-cation” or “play-cation” is your best option, figure out in advance how to make the best of the time you will spend in and around your home or city. And unplug!

According to Karen Matthews of the University of Pittsburgh’s Mind-Body Center, “It is important to engage in multiple leisure activities, both as a way to enjoy life more, but also to potentially have a benefit on health and be a stress reliever.”

It's up to you to discover when it’s time to take a break from your job or whatever your regular routine is. Taking breaks—big or small—helps you remain motivated and excited about your life.

You want to be the Energizer Bunny?
Make sure you take time to recharge!

Challenge!

Block off 30 minutes each day in your calendar to ensure you take short breaks – ideally, go outside, get some sun and attune with nature. Set an alarm on your phone if necessary so you don’t over look it!

Extra challenge: Book your next day off and your vacation too!

Awesome Resource

Power Nap with Andrew Johnson
This calming practice by Andrew is designed to guide you into a deep natural state of physical and emotional relaxation. Set to soft background music and with soothing guidance for breath and body awareness, you'll be able to release your tension and deeply rest, ultimately raising your energy levels and giving you a boost for whatever is ahead of you that day.
Click here for a 29-minute Power Nap!

FREE GIFT
If you know it's time for a change in a specific area of your life, but you aren't sure how to make it happen, this is for you - Courage, Risks and Reward: Taking a Chance to Change Your Life -  a 5-part Coaching Program compliments of The LEAP Network! Click here to download the program.

Let's connect...
Join me in a one-hour complimentary strategy session to help determine how you can move forward in getting unstuck, and gain momentum to move in the right direction for you. During our session, we will go over one or two exercises and determine the one next step you can take on your own after the call to keep the momentum going. Click here to schedule your session

SOCIAL MEDIA

Renée Blasky is the Founder and CEO of The LEAP Network Ltd.

Renée discovered her business and mindset coaching super powers when she was approached by a woman looking for assistance in developing a business opportunity.  She hasn’t looked back since.  Coaching women fits with her passion to empower women so they live a fulfilled life and make choices from a foundation of personal power, financial freedom and a deep sense of accomplishment.

Through her own experiences, as well as coaching women entrepreneurs and women in finance, Renée understands women often undermine their confidence and self-esteem. Consequently, they jeopardize their success paths, and mental fitness. As mindset accounts for an estimated 80% of success and happiness, Renée helps her clients to understand the lies they are telling themselves, how they are sabotaging their performance, wellness and relationships and helps them to establish a new journey to thrive utilizing their superpowers.

Renée helps her clients find clarity, regain their passion, set stick-worthy goals, stay focused, create the right mindset, and be accountable.  She also gently pushes her clients outside of their comfort zones and helps them face their fears so they can achieve their dreams. Renée works with her clients through various online courses, webinars, one-on-one coaching, and group coaching programs.

Renée, who trained as a life coach with Tony Robbins and Cloé Madanes, is also a certified trainer for Marci Shimoff's Happy for No Reason and Susan Jeffer's Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway courses based on their respective books of the same name. She is also in the process of getting certified in the Positive Intelligence^® program to increase her client’s mental fitness.

Renée is aptly qualified to coach women entrepreneurs and women in investments having founded two of her own businesses; investment management consulting services and business coaching. She is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion and loves multi-cultural environments, having lived abroad for 35 years with assignments in 13 countries. She obtained her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charter in 1990, and has over 30 years of experience in the investment/finance industry.  She is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who in Finance.  She has also received various awards and recognition in the investment industry through her work with the CFA Institute and the development of capital markets in East Africa.

Learn more about Renée and The LEAP Network by visiting her website here: www.theleapnetwork.coachesconsole.com.

You can also send an email directly to Renée at rkblasky@theleapnetwork.co (not “.com”)