Tired of Being Wired for Chaos?
Hi There,
A “Client Intake Form” is not unique to DRIVEN clients. And yet, I chuckled when I noticed a universal truth about a unique question on DRIVEN’s intake questionnaire. If you’ve never filled out a form like this, here’s a snapshot: It contains questions about a client’s current (or desired) role, aspirations for coaching, short-term professional goals, and a series of self-assessment questions, rating yourself on a scale from 1 to 5.
The written document acts as a roadmap for our initial coaching session. It better insures I gain clarity about which of the client’s challenges and aspirations to address first.
So, why the chuckle? No matter the reason for coaching, I find the starting point is the same with almost all new clients: with self-care. On that 1 to 5 scale, the typical marks fall between 1 and 3!
How is it that people can be highly-motivated to accel professionally, and yet when it comes to self-care, they let their numbers tank? Well, people do tend to put themselves last. But the greater truth is that self-care takes intention, discipline, ingenuity and innovation.
While it cannot be disputed that people WANT to practice better habits, simple self-care activities can slip away during the chaos of a day. Thus, I begin with the “low hanging fruit” of self-care. After all, self-care allows for better brain function.
My holy trinity for self-care is Water, Exercise and Sleep. Each of these is scientifically linked to brain function and invites pushback from “busy” professionals.
Are you getting enough water, exercise and sleep? If you’re saying, “How much is enough?”, here are the rules to consider:
1. Water: Divide your weight by 2. That’s how many ounces of water a moderately active person can expect to consume per day to stay hydrated. (A 140-pound person would aim for at least 70 oz. of water.)
2. Exercise: Sustaining a heart rate over 120 beats per minute for 20 minutes constitutes as a cardiovascular workout. Get 4 to 5 of these workouts under your belt weekly. A brisk walk is all most people need to get the pumper pumping at that rate.
3. Sleep: 7 to 8 hours of shuteye nightly is just what the doctor ordered for not only your physical health, but for brain health as well. Before you swear you don’t have that kind of time, scientific evidence continues to show that you can’t afford NOT to get adequate sleep.
What is YOUR aspiration for self-care? And what’s your plan to fulfill your objective? Think about this: You’re most certainly worth it, and your work will benefit, no matter your professional aspirations.
Cheers!
-Deborah
Deborah Goldstein
DRIVEN Professionals / Forbes / Linkedin
info@drivenpros.com | LinkedIn
DRIVEN Professionals, 35 Adrienne Lane, Garrison, NY 10524