The WhIP Journal
April 2005 Power Your Practice – THE WhIP JOURNAL [What Helps In Practice]
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In This Issue:
BOUNDARIES FOR OUR SANITY AND SUSTAINABILITY–
Take personal snow days
THAT IS SUCH A GOOD THOUGHT…
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BOUNDARIES FOR OUR SANITY AND SUSTAINABILITY-
Take personal snow days
“Overload is when our load exceeds our limits.
When our reserves are depleted, yet we continue to make withdrawals.
When we spend 120 percent of what we have –
whether money, time or energy.
Margin, on the other hand, is the opposite of overload.
If we have space between our load and our limits, we have margin.
Margin is rare; overload is the new norm.”
Dr. Richard Swenson, author of Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical,
Financial and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives.
It’s time to re-evaluate our priorities and set boundaries. For many of my eNews readers, the end of a long, tiring tax season is in sight (for some it may still seem blurry and too many days away). Many of you find, that despite good intentions and ideals, you have allowed your busy season to erode the boundaries of what you consider your work-life balance. (For some, your boundaries have not been eroded, they have been blown to pieces.)
Whether you are an employer or an employee, it’s time to set the boundaries right again. If you never had good boundaries to begin with, then it’s to time to start.
Employers – you need to help your staff know that you want team members who are balanced, energetic, healthy, and sustainable.
Employees – you need to let your employers know that you are committed to offering them your best professional self, and that means that your boundaries need to be honored.
Dr. Swenson says that there are two kinds of overload: short-term and long-term.
For accountants (and many other professionals) short-term overload is inevitable during the ‘busy’ season, whatever that might be for you. However, long-term overload is unsustainable! It’s a serious problem. When a person chronically violates human limits, eventually there is a price to be paid.
Dr. Swenson states the following symptoms for overload:
(check if you can see yourself in the symptoms)
For some, the symptoms are emotional:
apathy, withdrawal, depression, dread, anger, frustration.
For some, they are behavioral:
moral failure, relational problems, risk-taking behavior, excessive self-medication, irritability, hostility, disorganization, mistakes.
Still for others, the main symptoms are physical:
abnormal sleeping or eating patterns, hyperacidity, irritable bowel, headaches/migraines, palpitations, fatigue, exhaustion.
‘If’ you are operating on overload, it’s probably about time to stop. Deadlines or not, sometimes we have to know when to say “NO”. If it’s been short-term, we need to reset our boundaries and re-evaluate our priorities. Remember that setting boundaries are not just for other people to respect – we need to respect our own boundaries and remember why we set them.
If our overload has been long-term, we’ll probably need help. It’s hard to set new boundaries, develop new habits, and create healthy relationships when we’ve been running roughshod over these priorities for a long time.
Plan ‘snow’ days! (and I don’t mean actual snow has to be involved.)
Wesley Fryer writes in his blog about an acquaintance who tells him that “snow days are the best days”. He recounts times when the electricity would be out due to large amounts of snow and everyone would have to gather around and spend time together and play.
Think of declaring your own “personal ‘snow’ days”: Staying away from work or school; taking time off from work technology (email, pda’s, etc); spending time with family and friends by playing games, reading, walking/biking, going to a park, playing with your dog, building a snowman or tobogganing (if snow is available), swimming, sitting on the front porch, laying in the backyard, gathering around the fireplace, or watching the kids play. Of course, there are other ways of recharging your batteries as well that may involve golfing, travel, spa days, etc.,etc.
Be creative and find ways to flourish.
One more important, quick thing - CELEBRATE!
MARK THE END OF OVERLOAD AND THE ANTICIPATION OF MARGIN!
“THAT IS SUCH A GOOD THOUGHT”,
Thoughts worth reading, thinking, repeating and embracing.
“Our lives will become overwhelming and endangered when they do not contain enough margin.”
- Dr. Richard Swenson
I hope you’ve found value in this month’s copy of THE WhIP JOURNAL.
My best regards to you,
Debra Dowdell
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This is an Opt-in No-Fee monthly ezine/newsletter from Debra Dowdell. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to it. You may unsubscribe or change your information at any time at Details@PowerYourPractice.com. Your information will never be given away, sold, or rented. Ever. Thank you.
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