Transition for Professional Women

For many Professional Women the obvious transitions we experience are our within our career, our workplace and the part we play in them. Within the work environment the transitions of Profession Women include that of re-entering the work force, perhaps after having raised a family and taking some time away from paid work, changing career paths, promotions, further study, surviving in a male dominated working environment and finally retirement.

These transitions alone can cause much overwhelm and exhaustion which can lead to poor health, stress and low energy levels.Women in the working environment need to juggle many hats to stay on top of life. They can find themselves being pulled in many directions by children, partners, work colleagues, parents, siblings and even committees and other interests they may have.

So many transitions both inside and outside the work environment can greatly impact on our health, our confidence and our time in a negative way if allowed to go unchecked. Dealing with changing relationships, needing to relocate, maintaining our financial affairs, coping with body issues, coping with growing children and aging parents all leaves very little time to deal with your self! Change is not something that happens now and again, it is a way of life. Just as we think things are getting back to normal, we come face to face with the next change; stability seems to be a thing of the past.

As individual and unique as each of my clients are, many women who come to me for coaching have similar concerns and goals. A great tool for overworked professional women is the ability to use and maintain a diary and to-do list - do it daily and do it well. Understanding the importance of scheduling in me-time and being able to set and stick to time limits both in and outside working hours can greatly lessen stress levels.

You cannot be everything to everyone if you are running on empty so be aware of maintaining good eating and exercise habits as well as scheduling in time for fun, pampering, creativity and play each week.

Coaching Questions;

How does your work contribute to your life goals?

Are you in a career that you always dreamed of?

What would you like more time to do?

Quote:

Yes, there are many things that need to get done, but in this moment I have to do nothing.

—Oprah Winfrey

Changes can be challenging

We can deeply desire a change, but when we sit back and look at it we can feel overwhelmed and disillusioned. We are not alone, this happens to everyone at some time or another. We see achievements others have made in their career, fitness, finance or other areas of their life and feel in awe. What we don’t see is how the goal took shape and what needed to occur during the journey. We don’t see the time spent, the obstacles overtaken, the heartbreak and disillusionment along the way, the number of times the goal may have been given up on or re-designed, plenty of these hiccups can occur along the way. It is most uncommon for a goal to fall into place without any angst at all and it is a good thing too as it is the journeys that can make the finished outcome have stronger results and be more rewarding.

How do you climb a mountain, eat an elephant or build a wall? By taking one step, one bite or one brick at a time! You can either do it on your own, or with a little help. The first step is to decide on what you want, what you want to change or what you’d like to achieve. Now break it down into small achievable steps and decide when you want to finish by and begin with baby steps, one step at a time.

Staying motivated can be a tricky obstacle in the process, so if your not working with a coach, tell someone else what you are doing so they can check in on you to see how you are progressing. It is important to be kind to yourself and reward yourself along the way, as you make progress and achieve the small steps – it doesn’t matter how small they may be as they are all important steps in the big picture. Be honest with yourself and don’t worry if you need to reassess your goal or change your finish time. The important thing is that you are making progress and change is happening.

Remember with many challenges, we need persistence, consistence and patience.

Quote:

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but through persistence." Anonymous

Coaching tip:

What is a small action step you can take this week, towards achieving your goal? If your goal is to loose weight, list 3 things you can change in your week such as walk 30 minutes each day, cut out sweets from your diet, drink more water, write a food journal, and do at least one thing this week to get started.