Girls In Tech

I know I’m preaching to the choir when I talk about the wonders of technology. Gadgets, social networks, search engines, software, mobile innovation.. hell—even the remote control on my air conditioner. It’s these technologies we turn to in order to save time and make things quicker and easier. But ironically, it’s the time we save using technology to do more and more. We have gotten so good at multitasking that our lives are becoming more hectic than ever. And the “we” I’m talking about is women.

Where am I going with this? Kim Wroble and Lorian Williams-Willis of Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago paint a great picture:

“You are the last to bed at night and the first one up in the morning. You are a mom, wife, sister, friend, playmate, student, cheerleader, career woman, organizer, vacation planner, finance manager … the list goes on and on. While managing all these different roles, who cares for you?”

Economy notwithstanding, it’s important that we stay in tune with our pace to make sure we’re not overextended. We’ve gotten so used to this “make it happen” mentality that we often push our own emotional and mental boundaries to get things done. There are many more incredible technologies awaiting innovation, and as they become available, there will be new chances for us to squeeze more into our schedules. So, let’s keep the mental breakdowns to a minimum, shall we?

Here are my 5 essential rules to abide by in putting yourself first:

1. Check in with your doc. Do NOT cross this item off the list. Routine visits can help detect changes and problems early on. With all the stress we cause ourselves, it’s important to make sure our bodies are keeping up.
2. Exercise. This goes without saying, but not only does exercise help your overall physical health, it gives you 30 minutes or more of “me time”. Many people use this time to brainstorm for their next project or to go over the mental To Do list. I encourage you to zone out. Think of nothing, listen to your favorite music, focus on your breathing.
3. Let someone else make the decisions. If you’re in a powerful position at work, this a great way to let an up-and-comer show their stuff. At home, ask your roommate, spouse or friend make dinner for you – whatever they feel like cooking. During this time when you’re not cooking or working on a project, don’t add something to your list. Enjoy doing less.
4. Do one thing at a time. This has less to do with putting yourself first and more to do with having peace of mind. I have a tough time focusing – Firefox tabs alone could cause me great anxiety – but on those few days when I’m not giving in to every distraction, I get lots done. Having many items crossed off my list makes me feel accomplished and productive.
5. Ditch the guilt. No one should make you feel bad about making time for yourself. If you don’t want to watch your sister’s kids, don’t. If you didn’t go to last week’s Tweet Up, your network will not turn their backs on you. If you make the time to put you first, you might be surprised to realize that the world doesn’t end.

So, what are you doing for yourself these days?