You may have heard of the term "Super Woman (or Super Man) Syndrome", a phrase that describes those people who appear to the world to be at the top off their game, juggling task after task, all while appearing to be in control and managing life's pressures without effort. In today's fast paced world, more men and women are struggling keep up with the pace of their own lives!

It is a fact that many nurses are facing work vs. rest time conflicts. As some hospitals run short of staff due to either cut backs or simple lack of staff for other reasons, nurses are faced with doing more work in a shorter period of time. This day to day physical, mental and emotional stress may lead to exhaustion, and when combined with the "outside of work" demands of everyday life and family, he or she may not have an opportunity to slow down, relax, and decompress at the end of the day. When asked how he or she is, the answer is usually something along the lines of "Busy, but that's okay. You know me, I'm always on the go." When this constant activity becomes normal and there is no time to recharge your life batteries and care for your own needs, super-hero syndrome begins – as does the trouble.

So what's wrong with being someone who simply can and will do it all? One word – sustainability. While we all go through extremely busy phases in our lives, the fact is an average person cannot keep up a constant high-speed, high-stress lifestyle without having it eventually affect their health. According to the National Mental Health Association, almost every adult reports suffering from major stress at some point in their lives, and more than 75% of all health care visits involve stress as a major factor. Too much stress can lead to depression, anxiety attacks, heart distress, hormonal imbalances and other physical breakdowns.

When Too Much Really is Too Much: Recognizing The Warning Signs

Your busy routine may seem normal to you, but there are certain symptoms of doing too much that you should keep an eye out for, including:

Frequent headaches

Sleeping less than 6 hours per night

Frequent anger or tension

Difficulty concentrating or remembering

Feeling like you are spinning out of control.

The feeling that a little request from someone is an unrealistic demand

Too much to do and too little time to do it

Lack of time to take care of personal needs such as doctor's appointments, dentist appointments, hair appointments, vacations.

Feelings of guilt or pessimism

If you have any of these feelings, it's time to have a talk with yourself about slowing down.

Hanging Up Your Superhero Cape: Finding Balance

When you realize that you are trapped in a cycle of doing too much, there are steps you can take to regain control of your life, slow down, and find balance.

Prioritize "You"

The one thing that busy people forget to do is to put themselves on their own priority list. You may find yourself making sure that the kids get to their appointments, that you are taking care of your patients and attending meetings, you're picking up the drycleaning, making dinner and yet…where are YOUR needs in this laundry list of "to-do" items? One way to start taking care of your own needs is to make an appointment with yourself. Just as you would make sure that you attend a meeting on time, simply look at your daily calendar and schedule an hour for yourself in your day that can be dedicated to something you can do for yourself. This doesn't mean using the hour to plan your next project for someone else. Instead, it's an hour meant for true self-nurturing. This can include:

Having a massage

Going for a walk

Sitting quietly with your eyes closed and relaxing

Writing in your journal

Enjoying a leisurely coffee break outside

Indulging in a bubble bath

Get your hair done

Work out

Relax and find time to take care of your personal needs. When you find time for yourself, you will naturally have more energy and more focus for all of your other daily tasks.

Ask For Help

This is a tough one for a lot of superheroes. You may be so used to needing (or simply wanting) to do everything on your own that the mere idea of someone taking over some of your tasks may seem ridiculous. It's important to remember that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Asking for help is actually a sign of strength! When you learn to delegate some of your daily tasks to others in the family, you are not only freeing up your schedule and taking some stress off of your shoulders, you are teaching your family how to manage daily tasks!

Learn to Say No!

People who are "people pleasers" tend to say yes to every request that comes along. Why? Because on some level they do not want to let down the person asking the question. They also don't want to appear weak or that they can't manage everything thrown at them. If you are aware that your schedule is already quite full, being truthful and saying that you simply have no extra time for whatever it is that someone wants you to do is okay! Remember that the responsibility of keeping the world turning does not fall on your shoulders. If you say no to someone, they will either have to find someone else to do it or make other arrangements. Remember, if you have made yourself and your life a priority, saying NO to something is really saying YES to YOU!

Are you suffering from superwoman or superman syndrome? Stop and look at your life and remember that even if you stop and take a break from the chaos, the world will keep turning and you'll be happier and healthier in the long run.

 

Article © 2009 My Nursing Uniforms.com / Young Lion Incorporated

Image courtesy of babblingdweeb