By Jarred Meeks
A business life coach told a group of women at the Boone County Chamber’s July 23 Women Inspiring Women program that “busy” is a word she wants to challenge.
Halle Simpson said the word mimics thought patterns of those diagnosed with anxiety, of which more than 40 million suffer from in the United States, according to The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a condition twice as likely to affect women than men.
“We’re more connected than ever,” Simpson said. “We have ways to make our lives more efficient, more productive and we are driving ourselves crazy. We are busier in some seasons of life more than others, but it’s healthy to stand up and go, ‘Where is the margin?’ Where is the self-care? What are you trying to sustain long-term in your life that just isn’t possible?’”
Simpson, speaking at The Cardinal Room at the Golf Club of Indiana, said taking pride in being busy only results in multi-tasking that robs women of their ability to focus on their most important tasks. For her, busy is a reactive word.
Simpson recommended the women take proactive measures and participate in what she calls a “brain dump.” She instructed the women to write down on a piece of paper whatever was taking up mental real estate in their brain, whether it be their most important task of the day or little stresses that compound through time.
Simpson encouraged separating individual concerns into achievable goals while learning to delegate less significant concerns to others.
Lee Irwin, an Edward Jones Financial advisor and steering committee member at the chamber, said the goal of its Women Inspiring Women programs is to give women in different stages of their careers practical advice and encouragement that anyone can benefit from. The program also encourages women to be leaders, personally and professionally.
