During the dark, cold days of winter it can feel more and more as if there is no end to the drain of each workday. The flash and glow of the holidays are over and the grey sets in. As we hunker down to get things done, our spirits, once bright, start to wain and we lose the usual enthusiasm we bring to our work. Quite simply, our morale is low because we feel low.
Perhaps it’s at this time of year, more than any other time, we need to remind ourselves how to take care of what is most valuable. Self-care, during these cold winter months becomes important. Not just for our physical health but for our minds. Meditation, yoga, breathing exercises – these are all great ways to stop for a moment and realign your body/mind connection. But there are other ways to bring the glow back to these dark days and heal the healer.
Know your self-worth! We make poor choices when it comes to us! Everyday we short change ourselves on sleep, healthy food, or personal time. Sometimes, we need to give ourselves permission to stop, breathe and heal.
Bring yourself to your work! So often we try to become what we believe our boss expects us to be, but the truth is we were hired because of our unique gifts. Don’t stifle what is uniquely you! Those talents are precious and need to be shared. You bring something special to the workplace that your coworkers do not. Spread that around!
Allow yourself time to process the hard stuff. We all have emotional days. After all, we work with human beings in some of the most difficult circumstances. This isn’t baseball – it’s okay to cry. Or get angry. Feel it, let it out. Acknowledge those feelings and then move on.
We tend to give everything to our jobs. That’s who we are. But in these months, take some time to give back to yourself. Because if you don’t there won’t be anything left to give!