Member Article

Take Off Your SuperWoman Cape This Christmas

Annette Greenwood is a successfully established life coach. She works with women from all walks of life, and conducts the sessions face to face, on the phone or over skype meaning her reach is far and wide. In this column, Annette looks at the issues working women face in the run up to Christmas and gives you her top 12 tips.

“In my portfolio of clients I have a real mix of ladies with varying needs from menopause, to relationship problems to feeling inadequate. Many of those are business women who from 9 to 5 or whatever hours their jobs dictates, paint of their lipstick and smile and get the blinking job done…. Because that’s what women do, isn’t it?

“Women need to celebrate actually being human. They need to grasp their life, accept their own faults (because we all have them) and focus on getting what they can out life every day. Part of that includes taking time out and saying when it gets too much. Being strong enough to say, ‘enough for a while’. There is no better time than Christmas to do that, as we deserve to enjoy it to.

“Here are my Top Twelve Tips that may help you do just that!

One - Set your personal deadline to be organised a week ahead. Give yourself chance to wind down and have a window for last minute preps unstressed. For years I have convinced myself that Christmas Day is on the 18th.

Two – In the week of Christmas only commit to the critical things to do at work. The world won’t end if you haven’t dealt with something – everyone is focused on time off and family, so things will wait.

Three – Plan a new work challenge for the New Year. Use December to take stock and look at areas to improve. Make a commitment to start from January. That will take the focus off Christmas and will be just be a day inbetween now and the exciting January planned.

Four – Change your attitude to Christmas. Don’t see it another job. Find the fun and share the jobs/stress – treat your family like you would your work team. Be a great matriarch and delegate.

Five – Be a princess. Dress up, sparkle, if that is your thing. If it’s not, do what is you – wear what makes you happy and comfortable. Take the stress out of your Christmas wardrobe.

Six – Find your mantra and repeat it yourself in time of stress throughout December… Mines is “I am enough, be myself.”

Seven – Step back and have a breather – you might feel that things are falling apart but in actually fact they may just be falling into place.

Eight – Find your time and space and say to everyone Just For Today…. I’m staying in my PJ’s / I’m not cooking/ I’m not touching my laptop.

Nine – Don’t miss enjoying the festive season as you are so tired. Ensure you don’t burn out, just an hour early to bed four days a week restores mind, body and soul holistically. A 10 minute walk on your own is a tonic – nature is a boost to mental health and a change is as good as a rest.

Ten – remember nothing is permanent, Christmas will pass. Don’t feel you missed all of it with stressing and don’t get in the mind-set that you will glad when it is over

Eleven – if home life is turbulent, prepare in advance. Plan escape routes, have a safe place organised and a back up story for your children. Have helplines already saved into your phone. Be strategic and organised just in case.

Twelve – ask for help, it doesn’t make you a failure, be human – take off your Superwoman cape!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophie Isobel .