Alumna Guest Post: Prioritize Yourself
Many people experience difficulty when balancing work, family, friends and other commitments. We often find ourselves pressed for time to accomplish everything on our to-do list and what we tend to allow to not be completed is taking time for ourselves. Why do we do this? There may be many reasons we can think of such as lack of time, lack of energy, or feeling guilty devoting time to ourselves when we could be working or serving others. However, we should not allow ourselves to think this way. We are our greatest investment and in order to be content, to pour into others and our careers, we must first take time to feel confident and comfortable prioritizing ourselves.
It is important to recognize that prioritizing ourselves is not only necessary, it is a vital component to our well-being and success. It requires us to be intentional in our thoughts and actions. I like to compare prioritizing ourselves to filling your car up with gas or charging it for those who have electric vehicles. If you let the tank run empty, you are stranded, stuck, unable to arrive at your destination. Frustration due to lack of preparation, discontent, stress and anger can all arise from this situation. The same concept applies with prioritizing ourselves and making time to do the things that fuel our soul. If we deplete ourselves by not diligently and intentionally taking time to make ourselves a priority, we are not able to be content nor fully embrace each moment.
Oftentimes, especially as women, we feel a sense of guilt when making time for ourselves. This frame of mind is not only harmful to ourselves, it hinders us from reaching and experiencing our greatest potential. Making ourselves a priority looks different for each individual and that is okay. It is important to learn what truly recharges your battery, or fuels your tank, and be diligent about developing time to invest in yourself. Prioritizing ourselves does not have to be elaborate or extremely time consuming. It can be as simple as dedicating time to one thing a day that is simply for yourself. This may be a few moments of mindful meditation, reading a book, journaling, exercising, enjoying a nice cup of coffee or a glass of wine. It can be taking a walk, being in nature, resting, organizing your space or simply closing your eyes to enjoy the atmosphere around you. It can also be investing in ourselves through seminars, podcasts, books, leadership training and collaborating with like minded people to help us develop skills that allow us to thrive.
Another area of great importance when making yourself a priority is to see the value in feeling comfortable saying no in order to avoid over obligating and spreading ourselves too thin. We cannot be all things to all people. We cannot attend every event or volunteer to take on multiple projects at once. It is okay to say no without feeling guilty. This is an area that I personally struggled with. I overcommitted myself in many areas with the intention of being helpful, advancing my career while volunteering and what I discovered was that I was not fully present in each of these areas because I was either depleted from the other areas or thinking of what else I needed to do. While my intentions were good, my execution was lacking because I could not fully devote myself to each task at hand. I was not fully present in each moment and while I did provide value, I didn’t bring as much value as I could have if I had been more aware of the negative side of over-obligating myself.
Prioritizing ourselves should be viewed as a positive investment not only in ourselves but in our ability to serve others. I encourage us all to diligently plan time for ourselves, to intentionally prioritize ourselves and enjoy the outcome of this investment. I find that by making myself a priority, I feel more content, energized and able to be fully present in each moment. It is okay to take time for yourself and not feel guilty about it.
Amy Hamilton has worked in the banking industry with a focus on indirect lending for 20 years holding a variety of positions including auditor, underwriter, dealer liaison, operations manager, business development manager, vice president, and director of indirect lending. In 2017, she made the decision to venture into the dealership industry and currently works as the general manager of Indian Motorcycle of Wichita and Dream Machines of Kansas. In her current role, Amy oversees the operations of the entire dealership including service, parts, sales, administrative, human resources, marketing and accounting. By collaborating with her team, she has created a system of policies, procedures, cross training opportunities and streamlining efforts to create efficiencies and improve profitability with a focus on risk management, employee retention and creating an impactful experience for each customer. Amy has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Wichita State University, MBA from Webster University and a Masters in Management from the University of Phoenix. She is a proud member of Cohort One of The Thread. As an avid learner, she has also attended You Lead Now at the Kansas Leadership Center, Advance Kansas Diversity in Leadership, Leadership Elite at Wichita State CMD, and the City of Wichita Civic Engagement Academy. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Kansas African American Museum.
