Is Your Bacon Burned?

Recently, a friend of mine (a mom with a full-time corporate job and a full family life) made the following post on Facebook:

Remember the jingle from the early 80's where the woman danced and sang..."I can bring home the bacon and I can fry it up in a pan"? Well, here's to hoping that woman has a full-time job, traveling husband, three busy kids and is as STRESSED out as I am right now! I hope her bacon is burned!

I'm sure you can imagine the chorus of supporting voices who joined in!

Does this sound like your life...or maybe just the life of someone you know?

Stress can seep into every corner of your day and literally make you want to burn that bacon - or someone else's. Here are some quick tips to help you destress quickly and be better able to handle the rest of your day (or night).

• Take 10 deep, slow breaths. In less than one minute, your heart rate will approach normal and you will be in a much better frame of mind to deal with work pressures, family life and even rush hour.
• Take a quick walk. Outside, inside, whatever. Just change your scenery. Five minutes of physical movement, especially if you can combine it with fresh air, can change your mood and your perspective.
• Take a musical break. Music can change your mood almost immediately - especially if you choose the right kind to do just that. What is the "right kind?" It is the music that makes you smile and your toes tap. For me, that is nearly always '80's music (I know - I'm dating myself). For you, it could be Sinatra or Lady Gaga.
• Let go of perfection.  Whether you breathe, walk or groove through it, letting go of the ideal (bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan) may be the biggest long-term sanity maker in your life.  It's not easy - doing really well is what you do.  Going for less than perfection can seem odd at first, but it will give you the option to focus on your real priorities instead of trying to do it all perfectly.

What's even better than doing one of these? Combining them! Listen to some relaxing music while taking those 10 deep breaths. Grab your MP3 and take it on your walk.  And, of course, you can let a little of that perfection go with every breath or every step.

Try just one of these the next time your bacon is burning...and let me know how it goes!

Breathe In, Breathe Out...Ohmmmm

It sounds so simple and yet there are days when simply breathing evenly, slowly, mindfully is a huge task. I think that's true for so many women but especially busy women executives.

I think that's why traditional meditation has always seemed just a bit out of reach for me. (I am sure I have even gotten that "traditional meditation" label in there incorrectly...) Still, I believe that there are so many benefits to quieting and taming my monkey mind that I try to find some type of meditation, guided relaxation, ohm-ing that will work for me.

Here's what I have learned...

• Sitting still for 30 minutes right out of the gate and expecting your inner to-do list to shut down for the whole time is unrealistic. Try FIVE and see if you can do that first.
• All meditation doesn't happen in a lotus position on a mountaintop. It can happen in a comfy chair with a cup of tea, walking around the track at the Y with an affirmation tape or just before you fall asleep. Let go of the perfection of the time and place.
• It takes time to make progress. As much as I'd like immediate, microwave-fast results in my ability to meditate, it just doesn't happen that way. Exercising these new mental muscles is challenging, frustrating and encouraging.

Do you meditate? What practices or tips have worked for you?

Are You Listening to Your Body?

Your days are filled with people who want to talk to you - your spouse or significant other, kids, co-workers, bosses, friends...the list goes on and on. Yet, as you make time to listen to all of them (or try to), you may not be listening to a very important voice: your own.

And your voice may be trying to give you an important message from your body.

Slow down. You can't help everyone else if you are not helping yourself first.

As a busy woman executive, you likely have many sources of potential stress in your life. That makes it even more important that you listen to your body to avoid unhealthy habits which can make you even more stressed and less patient. Try these simple tips to keep up your healthy habits (or establish some new ones).

• Stress can make you want to reach for the nearest snack whether it is healthy or not. Before putting money in the vending machine or grabbing candy from your co-workers desk, ask yourself if you are really hungry. To test your answer, wait for fifteen minutes and then reevaluate your hunger.
• Drink a glass of water. Water will fill you up for a few minutes allowing you to calm your stressful situation. Plus, it gives you something to do with your hands and mouth besides eating that candy in the first tip!
• Eat slowly. When you are stressed, working on a last-minute request your desk before dashing off to your next meeting, you are more likely to eat fast. You barely get a chance to taste the food. If you don’t taste it then your brain won’t register that you are full and you are more likely to pay for it later in the day with low energy, heartburn or other unpleasant side effects.
• Take a walk. Work off the stress with a walk around your office or around the neighborhood. Walking will release those endorphins we were talking about. It improves your mood and helps with stress while helping you to avoid eating unhealthy food. If you can grab some upbeat or relaxing music or a friend, that will make it even more enjoyable.

Doing even just one of these things each time you feel your stress level rise can help you feel better in the moment and later in the day. Not only will your health be better over the long term but you will also feel more in control of your days.