Exhale.
Our ability to stay focused and motivated in times of change, how to formulate new and innovative ways to do business and our interactions with clients and business partners, is directly impacted by our emotional well-being. Work/life balance may be to blame, not knowing how to breathe may be another. Neither one survived ignorance until now. Breathwork, mind control, nutrition, movement and good sleep are proven ways to help manage and maintain emotional well-being. To be aware of, to control, and express one's emotions, AND to handle interpersonal relationships with sincerity and compassion is a skillset every business person should have.
In my former career, as an Human Resources Director, emotional intelligence and work/life balance was a hot topic and a real struggle. I too was challenged by the long hours, emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue and the daily hustle. Work and life were highly stressful to manage not to mention the added curve balls of life. I burned out easily and was on a mission to find balance.
With many of us being given “other duties as assigned,” in the school of life, we can and will burn out quicker than ever before. Though we aren’t heading to the office everyday, we are attempting to balance work and life under one roof. I’d like to hope that by now we have all found a schedule that works, that our children, partners, roommates and spouses are respecting our boundaries and life is finding its new normal. The current global crisis COVID-19 has put our country on lockdown, giving parents a new perspective, created learning curves around online business, induced fear, perfectionism, paralysis. All that being said, balance is an understatement.
Anxiety and stress are inevitable. Given our current situation we cannot control what is happening to our environment however we can shift or change our perspective. Stress we know causes severe physical, emotional and psychological distress such as chronic pain, TMJ, addiction, emotional instability, insomnia or sleep disorders, emotional eating, depression, irritability, anger and rage. The effects can be devastating if not managed properly.
Over a decade ago I finally decided to do something different. I learned to breathe. This was no easy task especially in the early 2000s. Today there are many resources to learn, practice and have accountability. Over the last decade I’ve explored meditation, mindfulness and breathwork. Since learning the fundamentals of breathing and doing the deep work, I’ve learned to breathe efficiently and in a way that creates an atmosphere of calm and relaxation. Many of the symptoms I once had have disappeared or decreased significantly. The fine print - it required consistency, practice and determination.
Learning how to use breathwork to transition between calls, appointments, conversations or experiences can significantly improve how we handle life. If we get honest about what is really going on, fear and insecurity are the root of most of our stress. Not performing in a way that lives up to our own standards or that of someone else. Ego and pride get in the way of what really matters. It starts to compound, the insecurities get deeper and deeper and when we least expect it, we overreact, act a fool, crash and burn. Our relationships fail, we feel alone, abandoned and crushed.
The solution in finding balance between work and life begins with breath. When you change the way you breathe you change the way you behave. Learning the rhythm of the exhale. Being patient with emotions. Finding balance in the imbalance is a first step in creating a new way. Do you ever notice that you are holding your breath as you move throughout your day? When we hold our breath we are choosing to stay in the future or the past and not being present with what's really happening. Over the next several hours or pay attention to your exhale. What do you notice? Make some notes - start the initiation of breath awareness.
