BUSINE SS


Working in a way that feeds my soul


When the body runs on adrenalin long term, it finally gives in and collapses in a heap. Adrenal fatigue, burnout, chronic fatigue and a myriad of other stress-related conditions may result. We are seeing a rise in these conditions as women.


by Mandy Galbraith


H


aving recently left the corporate landscape for greener pastures and prior to that having worked


in not-for-profit organisations, my own business, and in the health sector, I have a wide-ranging experience of what it is to work in a life-draining way. Like many women, I thought I should


be able to do it all. The desire to be successful at work, as a parent, as a partner and maintain a cheerful energetic disposition was a challenge I was certainly inclined to take on. I didn’t realise that, along the way, I had abandoned unique attributes like intuition, deep creativity, and a basic desire for connection with others that give us as women an important perspective in the workplace. Although part of the problem was the


job, the business and the health service, seeing that we live in a crazy workaholic culture that glorifies untenable working hours, and unattainable goals, there were many ways I was working that were exhausting and unproductive, though it took a while to see them.


THE ‘GET THINGS DONE’ WOMAN My perfectionism, which revealed itself in behaviours such as not finishing things, not starting things, and


26 MAY 2017


hypercriticism, really took its toll. I felt that I had to do everything at 110% and that mistakes were simply not to be tolerated. On the outside I appeared to be very successful in many of my undertakings, yet this was sapping my life force internally. Trying hard was another way of


working that nearly killed me. I thought that if I just tried harder I would make happen what I wanted to happen. I held on tightly to the belief that I could and should be able to control the outcomes of my endeavours. When goals or targets were set, I truly thought they must be reached no matter what and, if I couldn’t reach them, it was my fault entirely. Never mind that I had no control over circumstances, changes in the market, or natural disasters, to name but a few things. I had no concept of being in the flow,


allowing the process to unfold. I just pushed forward thinking that my drive was an asset, I was a capable ‘get things done’ woman. Self-reliance took its toll as I


powered through on adrenalin and pure will attempting to achieve and get ahead of the game. I didn’t like to ask for help, and thought that I should be able to do everything myself or my fear of


appearing weak or incapable would rear its ugly head. When the body runs on adrenalin long


term, it finally gives in and collapses in a heap. Adrenal fatigue, burnout, chronic fatigue and a myriad of other stress-related conditions may result. We are seeing a rise in these conditions as women.


TIME TO SURRENDER Finally having had enough of feeling stressed and fearful about what was expected of me, I surrendered. I gave up. I knew that I couldn’t work the way I was any more and was prepared to lose my job if that’s what it came to. I stopped working so many hours,


learning over time that many things were not urgent as I thought they were. In fact, often problems resolved themselves if they were left alone for a little while instead of everything being crisis managed. Along with working fewer hours I took breaks and rests and generally stopped to smell the roses more. I started taking more time with clients


and having real relationships with them. I was interested and relaxed. They noticed this and really enjoyed the change. I was no longer rushing around


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