Superwoman Syndrome?

Are you a woman who thinks you have to do it all? Are you trying to raise a family, have a career, serve in your church, keep up your home, attend all of your kids activities, work out at the gym and be socially active? Are you constantly on the go? Do you ever give yourself a break? Do you allow yourself to relax? Do you constantly give, give, give while receiving nothing in return? Do you ever stop attending to the needs of others so you can take time out for you? If this fits your profile, you may have something called Superwoman Syndrome.

Typical Superwomen — moms, professionals, wives, homemakers, volunteers, community organizers, athletes — experience a multitude of symptoms that reveal how stressed they are. Are any of these symptoms familiar?

• Bouts of irritability
• Inability to sleep or excessive sleep
• Memory issues
• Muscle tension
• Anxiety
• Sweating when not physically active
• Inability to concentrate
• General aches and pains

Accumulated stress opens the door to a multitude of health issues, including early aging, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and gastrointestinal conditions.  

To overcome the Superwoman Syndrome and untie your cape, check out these tips:

Ask for help

You cannot do everything yourself, so designate a sidekick with whom you can share tasks and delegate duties. It’s not weak to ask for help.

Take time out for you

Schedule breaks into your calendar and hold yourself to it. Daily meditation, mindfulness practice or yoga will relieve stress and help you to slow down. Take a break by getting a massage, reading a book or taking a walk. The key is to start taking care of yourself.  

Learn to say no

“No” is not a dirty word. Start saying no to things that you don’t want, or don’t have the time, to do. Figure out what your priorities are and say “no” to everything else.

Set achievable goals

Set goals according to how you want to live. If you don’t know where to start, try making a list of all the important areas of your life (family, job, friends, community, etc.). Does it match up with how you want to live your life? If not, list small actions you can take to shift the circle so it aligns more with your ideals.

Let go of perfectionism

Remember that your house doesn’t have to be clean 24 hours a day, dinner doesn’t have to be on the table every night at the same time, and you can’t be the perfect employee all the time. Take time to relax and enjoy your family.