DO THE THINGS that satisfy you, and remember that life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away." Easier said than done? Nancy Carritte, a Redlands-based industrial psychologist, says it is possible and uses her own fresh, no-nonsense approach to juggling life, career and family, to help others unlock the secret to leading a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle.
And she should know. As a working mother attempting to climb the corporate ladder while pursuing her doctorate, Carritte has put her "living in the real world" time in.
"The challenge of being in the business world and still finishing my degree was certainly meaningful," she said. "My primary motivation was to secure more options for the future, to move in new directions and reinvent my life." Aside from being an author and motivational speaker, she also works as both an executive coach and organizational development consultant for several major corporations.
While working with senior managers, for whom relationship- building skills are crucial, Carritte targets areas such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving, self-esteem and personal development.
"I work with individuals on building their strengths, improving their reputations and capitalizing on skills they may not even be aware of," she said. "I provide an outsider's perspective on how to deal with the challenges of their current job role while balancing it with their personal needs." Despite the fact that these techniques are essentially designed to ensure success at the professional level, they are becoming increasingly relevant for those trying to cope with today's high-stress environment.
Here are Carritte's five strategies for a balanced life:
Plan more getaways
Never pass up an opportunity for a little rest and relaxation, even when circumstances are less than ideal.
"Two weeks a year is definitely not enough time to refresh yourself," Carritte says. "Find ways to squeeze in extra breaks by booking 'stay-cations' where you can spend a weekend away at a nearby spot."
Adopt a new way of thinking
Don't measure your self-worth according to the number of tasks you've completed in a given day.
"As Americans, we believe that we're not valuable as long as we're sitting still," she says. "We constantly brag about how long our to-do lists are and when we get only a few things done, we become stressed out.
"Learn to focus on what you did accomplish, not what you didn't."
Find your 'flow'
This is a psychologically based concept in which an individual is so immersed in an activity they lose all sense of time and place and their actions become almost effortless.
"Engage in hobbies that really blow your hair back: oil painting, surfing, going out with friends," she adds. "Anything that will increase happiness and decrease stress." Simplify your world Declutter everything from the closet to your daily organizer to achieve mental clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.
"Pare down your schedule to create more quiet time, and eliminate visual clutter so there's less to care for and less to look at." Learn to prioritize Channel the majority of your time and efforts into the pursuits that matter most.
"For many, this is the hardest thing of all," she said. "But what we need to realize is if we don't get our priorities in order, we won't have the energy to do the things that are really important to us." According to Carritte, recent industrial psychology studies suggest that, unlike their middle-aged counterparts, younger members of the workforce don't necessarily struggle to preserve the balance between life and career.
"Gen-Xers have developed a different value system than that of Baby Boomers and cannot be easily coaxed into sacrificing personal time for money, success and prestige," she said. "They're firm believers in working away from the office and maintaining that balance, which is something to be proud of." Regardless of age, career path or outlook, Carritte feels there are a few things that still ring true.
"You may not always have the health or energy you have today, so be braver and bolder about your choices in life and for the future," she said.
Nancy Carritte is working on a new book, "The Neanderthal Boss," and a multipart CD series on prioritization, simplification and emotional intelligence. For more information visit www.drnancyc.com.
