Ask Marcia Leadership Q and A's: Smart Women Say No to “Doing It All!”
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Send any of your leadership questions to md@mdaszko.com
Q. As a woman executive, I’ve been so exhausted in the past year as I juggle the continual decisions with Covid, navigate my teams, and balance my personal life. My friends who are managers and I still seem to shoulder the major work and home responsibilities with children. What can we do to stay mentally healthy and fight the exhaustion?
A. Each professional and personal situation is different. While there are trends evolving, it’s extremely important to assess what the challenges are for you and your family. It’s a time to take care for yourself, your family, and your community. Don’t try to do it all; instead plan the ways to do small things to be self-caring for now. Identify all of the resources you need, and ask for or hire help. Prioritize what needs to be done now, and let other low priorities go.
It may be great to excel in a career or to grow a company. But is it the best time to do it all now? It’s not necessary or healthy to be a superwoman. The most important word in your vocabulary in certain situations is “No.” Many people need to learn to say no without remorse.
It may be time to prioritize caring for each other in a family, or on your team. But it is not the time to take on every issue or problem or opportunity. Show care by experiencing more peacefulness, better listening, more calm, and appreciation in small examples of happiness. Celebrate the small joys, and live a healthier life—for now.
