The Unspoken Truth About Vacations

by Annika Sorensen | Dec 30, 2021 | Stress

Vacations, one that everybody loves but not all has the luxury to have.

Most people see vacation as an extra – a thing you do when you have some disposable income or time.

As a Doctor and Stress Management Expert, I don’t see it that way.

TAKING VACATIONs AS NECESSITY

You can quit putting “vacation” in the list of things you can just do when you have some extra time and money, instead, you can put it under the list of necessities, after the basic ones to survive.

Why? Simply because it’s a necessity!

Business leaders generally work long hours without having much time for hobbies, or things they see as time-wasting activities, but ain’t that a bad thing?

I’ve always been a hard-working person just like most of the leaders I’ve met and worked with, but somewhere deep down’s a need to accomplish something.

Indeed the satisfaction is great upon accomplishing things, plus it gives us the drive to go on and on.

But as we go on and on…

TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES

We forget to take care of ourselves and tend to our personal needs.

Did you know that if we don’t take breaks every now and then, our accomplishments and our drive to go on and on eventually destroy us?

We’ll get sick, we get diseases such as hypertension, cardiac issues, sleep disorders, and other more diseases we can get from being restless.

All these make the vacation a necessity – because not taking breaks, not resting, or not doing something mentally healthy for you – all lead to stress-related diseases.

HEALTHY OVERLOADED VS. DROWNING IN OVERLOAD

One big thing I have seen over and over during my time as Health Strategist is the difference between the healthy overloaded business leaders and the ones “drowning” in their overload. 

I have seen that one huge difference is that the healthy ones take time off to do fun things!

I am sure they accomplish just as much as the ones not taking time off, I would say they accomplish even more in less time. 

But how?

Because doing fun things gives energy! It is as simple as that. 

RELAXING AND DOING FUN THINGS

Relaxing and doing other things also makes your mind work more actively with more neural connections which means your thoughts will be more vivid and you will find solutions you couldn’t find if you just keep working. 

The things you do in this “fun and relax” time can be so many different things. The main thing is that YOU FIND IT GOOD.

Engaging in physical activities, singing, going to the movies or to a theater play, playing golf. The list can be endless!

Wouldn’t it be worth a try – have fun AND accomplish more?

THE NEED TO TAKE Healthy breaks

We are already two weeks into December and summer vacation feels far away. I hear a lot of people around me telling me they are so tired and they would need a vacation again. 

When I ask what they do during their workweek I understand why they are tired. 

No breaks, working overtime, and taking work home on the weekends. They must believe they are “Superman/woman”. 

If you find yourself working that much it is time to do some changes if you want to last!

If you work and work without breaks your thinking capacity will get slower and slower and also means you will be time-ineffective.

TAKING A VACATION CAN SAVE LIVES

Yes, in fact, it is actually life-saving to take breaks, a little longer breaks – vacations.

You may protest – “Okay, that’s too much. No one dies because of not taking a vacation or not taking breaks.”

Yes, true. No one, at least not directly, but a lot of people die from too much stress, and too much stress can be lessened by taking breaks.

THE TAKEAWAY

Your brain needs a rest many times a day to be able to keep up with its thinking. Every time you take a minibreak your brain will say: “Thank you, now I can rest a bit and my thoughts will get in order again and I can think new thoughts”

Isn’t that a great gift to give to your brain every day – and it is a gift for yourself too?

You will get more done and things will feel easier to do, that will bring you into a more positive and happy mood and you will be more creative – and you will get more done – and you are in that positive circle, positive spiral upwards.

Taking longer breaks – like holidays will be even nicer to your brain – will give it time to reboot from the bottom up

If you don’t have time for creating health in your life now – you will have to make time for illness later.

Want to read more like this? CLICK HERE.

If you want to start your process for less stress in your life get my free e-book and start working.

To more fun successful vacations,

SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE

by Annika Sorensen | Dec 21, 2021 | Stress

Do you know why it’s important to surround yourself with good people, generally and even in the business?

Let me tell you about my first experience as an entrepreneur.

Coming from a tax-paid system where you never have to think about anything from the business perspective, the clients/patients were there. They pay a fixed sum to the system and I just do the Doctor’s work on my daily list, then I get my salary.

Soon, when I was starting to take the first trembling steps as an entrepreneur trying to figure out the selling and finding clients part, I met a nurse who had a brilliant idea for a business model that made me all ears.

We teamed up! And everybody said we were the perfect team for the business. 

OUR STORY AS PARTNERS

First-year was fun. She knew all those things about marketing and I learned a lot but there’s awkwardness.

In year two, we were starting to sell after the first year of mostly building, preparation, and marketing.

The moment we started selling… is the moment we need to start building clients’ trust. 

But when we started to sell, people were leaning more on me as I was the Doctor and our biggest product. This made my companion change – as in starting to get mean.

Until one day, after a meeting with a potential client, I received a very long email telling me I was the worst doctor on earth who knew nothing. I really have no idea what happened but hey, imagine the amount of stress!

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T CHOOSE YOUR PEOPLE

I went to my business mentor, lost a lot of money, and went bankrupt, worked as a regular  Doctor again to pay off the lawyer that helped me.

And to top all those off,  the nurse who was my then-partner had all the practical deals and registrations in her personal name, which gave her all the power over all the properties of our joint company. 

It was a huge lesson for me! I was very trusting considering I was a newbie in the industry.

Having experienced being my own boss and not being on a payroll, I bounced back and started again, but this time, on my own.

This story shows that you have to have GOOD PEOPLE AROUND YOU. 

Had I found a better partner, I wouldn’t be called worst for no reason especially after what felt like a very good client meeting, and I wouldn’t have gone bankrupt or tricked into all the papers. I would have been successful earlier.

Surrounding yourself with good people dramatically improves your quality of life.

In my years of working with Stress Management, I’ve seen that there are a lot of things you need to change to achieve a calmer life.

And that includes – Your Network.

Having a great network should be non-negotiable. Making good connections, surrounding yourself with good, kind-hearted, and positive people will bring you happiness instead of stress. And we all know what being happy can do – in life, and in business.

But where do we start?

Mindset and Energy

First, establishing a mindset that you want a positive change in your life and doing what you can in your power to stick with that mindset aligns with your actions.

Second, getting the energy to go through the process. And as I’ve always mentioned, what better way to get energy than good sleep, good food, and great exercise.

Now that you have the mindset and the energy, you already have what it takes to make some major life changes – such as, changing who you surround yourself with.

But this is where it gets tricky because sometimes we don’t really know who’s good for us and who’s not.

So the question you should be asking yourself is:

When you are with them, do you feel like gaining or draining?

And we all know for a fact that your answer should be the first one because if not, then it just means it’s time..

Time to change your network.

And it even gets trickier..

“I can’t change them, they are my family.”

Or…

“How can I change them, we are basically in the same organization!”

I know, and I HEAR YOU.

I know there are circumstances where it’s basically impossible to change entirely or put the connections that drain you entirely out of your life. That is why this is not a one size fits all solution.

In the first example, you think that your own family drains you. This is very common. And “most” are rooted in the same problem: YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL.

“What does that mean?”

Connections start the moment we are born. We grow with our family and relatives, and we imitate what we see in them. We also live by their beliefs and opinions because those are the beliefs and opinions we were exposed to. And we believe it’s normal because we choose to believe it is normal – because that is the only way we know… their ways.

But when we start getting exposed to the outside world… and we start to see things differently, we start to realize that there are dozens of different ways aside from what’s instilled in us. Then from there, we learn.

And it’s good. But IS IT ENOUGH?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Because if it is, then why are you draining?

Because you are settling. Settling for the beliefs and opinions that other people wanted you to believe. And I’m sorry to be the one to break it out to you but, it will never be enough until you believe your own beliefs, and choose your own choices.

YOU ARE THE DRIVER OF YOUR LIFE

And for the people being in the same organization that’s draining you?

Here are the three things that I can advise you:

1. Reflect on yourself. Maybe you are not always presenting yourself as a positive person? Always start with changing how you behave yourself in front of other people. Smile, observe, and truly listen – because positive energy is contagious – feelings are contagious.

2. Stay casual. Number 1 did not work? It’s okay. Because by then, you already know that it’s not you, it’s them. If the 1st step did not work, then try as little interaction as you can have. No segues, just pure work-relationship and remember to always come emotionally prepared.

3. RETREAT! Both step 1 and step 2 did not work? Leave as soon as you can before severe damage.

“But why is retreating an option? Aren’t we supposed to look for solutions? Then why are we backing out?”

Because some things are out of our control and we have to accept that.

A good example is when I had a co-op with a person with an agenda of her own for a year which took me 3 years in a nightmare to get out of. I am a Stress Management Expert, and a Doctor – but even I had to retreat. So unless you specialize in these cases, or have more than a gigantic amount of patience and understanding – I’d say, LEAVE BEFORE IT BREAKS YOU. Besides, we’re looking for solutions, not more problems.

Once again, surround yourself with good people and always remember – “You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with”.

LESSONS LEARNED

But hey, no reason to dwell on the past. No regrets, only lessons learned! 🙂

And the main lesson I want to share with you all is the IMPORTANCE of being SURROUNDED BY GOOD PEOPLE.

Here’s a relevant blog post that helps you how you can apply this lesson I am sharing with you today.

Once you have successfully done this, you’ll have a happier and less toxic life.

Kindly,

HOLIDAYS: HOW DO I CALM DOWN?

by Annika Sorensen | Dec 10, 2021 | Stress

Holidays are just right around the corner again! Notice how time flies? You just realized it’s that time of the year that you have to figure out how to calm down for the holidays.

Although yes, nothing beats the good holiday feels. It’s very exciting, and a time that everybody’s looking forward to.

But is it always just the fun side of things?

Well, honestly, if you aren’t on the organizing side… if you just show up and attend and then celebrate – you probably won’t even know that holidays can be stressful too.

The question is: “How”?

HOW HOLIDAYS ARE ALSO STRESSFUL

The holiday season can be hectic. Don’t you know that just the word “Christmas” can press a “Stress Button” within?

I’ll get into more of that a little bit later.

First, I wanna know what Christmas is for you…

Today, for me, it is “family time”. But before, it was just a lot of stress – a rat race I hated until I found a solution to my problem.

You could be asking: “What problem? It’s Christmas!”

MY HOLIDAY STORY

Here’s my story:

When I was a kid, I remembered jumping from one relative to another – where some of them got annoyed because they thought we didn’t prioritize them over the other. It’s like everyone wanted to be the “first one” to be visited, and that’s stressful.

Imagine visiting 4-5 places to visit during a few hours to exchange gifts and taste each other’s sweets which was a must because of expectations? I had to wait until the evening to have our own time, the closest family members.

When I got my own kids, I know I didn’t want them to experience the same. We had to do it due to “family rules” until the solution came.

When I was pregnant with my third we bought our summer house, which I thought was a good place – situated an hour away from where our relatives live, “winter-proof”, and can accommodate a whole bunch of people!

So I told everyone – “We invite all of you for Christmas, this Christmas, and the rest coming as long as we own this summer house, just let us know if you are coming.”

Some didn’t like it since they had to get out of their comfort zones. But we’ve stuck to this up until now, where my now-grown kids make sure early in the fall that we will all be together in the summer house for Christmas.

Our summer house – the place where we all find peace, enjoy the silence and have a good family time doing puzzles, playing games, taking long walks by the beach, is the only place Santa Claus knows of.

Still hectic because it comes with a lot of preparation, but hectic that you are enjoying it and you are looking forward to the celebration.

HOW HOLIDAYS ARE WHEN YOU HAVE A BUSINESS TO RUN

The holidays, in general, are very hectic, and if you are a business leader you have it double up. Expectations aren’t just from family but also from work.

THE SOLUTION

Despite all this stress, there is a solution, and the earlier you start, the better.

The solution is called…

PLANNING.

With correct planning, everything is achievable. Miscommunication and unrealistic expectations are the main causes of stress, so to avoid this…

COMMUNICATION IS VITAL.

With planning and communication, the stress is minimal.

3 SPECIFIC TIPS

Here are more detailed tips:

1. Make a preliminary to-do list for the weeks ahead.

This will make things clear and can help you with saving time and energy. Also reduces the amount of last-minute panic.

2. Make a preliminary list of all “holiday meals”.

Opt for potlucks instead of flowers or chocolates as gifts for the hostess. Make a list accessible to everyone to avoid repetition.

3. Decide on Christmas gifts together.

To one or many? Set a price – to avoid overthinking if the price is “just right”, “too low”, or “too high”.

BONUS TIP

Here’s a bonus tip for y’all:

Take a walk and talk at least once a day during the holidays.

Walk and talk means taking someone along on a brisk walk and openly discussing anything. It has something to do with your brain nerve connections and muscle movement eating stress hormones but I will not dig into it so much so you just try and see what I mean. 😉

To a calm holiday season,

How and Why Morning Routine Is NECESSARY

by Annika Sorensen | Dec 6, 2021 | Stress

How, and why is a morning routine important if it’s just a routine?

Morning routine’s never new to us – we all have heard about it at some point in our lives – but most people haven’t really reflected on what it’s truly about.

Some of you would most likely say: “ I get up in the morning, have my coffee and go to work! How hard can it be?”

“Establishing a morning routine? Do we even need one?“

You’re happy that way and that’s great. But having a structured one is better.

Additionally, we are wired for routines, and since morning is the start of the day, we might as well make a routine out of it that benefits us.

Fill it with actions that make us THRIVE and GROW, not just what’s enough to get us through the day.

Well to go back and answer the question, OF COURSE, we need it.

In fact, the morning routine is a way to set your day towards success.

If you know what to do and how to do it, it’s gonna make things so much easier because you would be prepared for whatever unpredictable’s coming. 

And when you are prepared… you’d be less stressed which also means you’ll have greater focus.

MORNING ROUTINE IS A KEY TO SUCCESS

Have you heard that morning routine is an important key to success? It prepares you for something unpredictable that’s coming.

How?

One good example is Brendon Burchard, a #1 New York Times best-selling author and “the world’s leading high-performance coach”. 

His morning routine includes doing yoga, looking over his daily schedule through the use of his very own 1-page Productivity Planner, and reading something positive.

Now I’m not saying that yours has to be like his… what I’m saying is look deeper.

There’s a ton of things you can do, all with greater purpose.

SOME THINGS TO START WITH

Br grateful, exercise, and find inspiration… if you start your day with these things, then you will have a great day.

It’s not about the flow of time you have to strictly follow… BUT about how you actually treat yourself well by attracting positive energy through doing things that can help you move forward. 

And I get it – there were times in life when this is hard to accomplish.

When my kids were small – 3 young ones – there was no time for sophisticated morning routines. Mornings were to survive. 

That’s why I’d also like to say that it is okay to take baby steps, as long as you practice it consistently that it becomes a habit – because there are no quick fixes.

So as long as you try to do something, and you do it consistently and sincerely, you are on the right track and I want you to know that…

You’ll get there eventually.

HERE’S A SECRET

It’s not a matter of how you do it or how long you do it – AS LONG AS YOU DO IT. 

There are a lot of different things you can do – here’s to name a few:

1. Having Gratitude.

You will never go wrong with being grateful. Starting your day grateful, and ending it the same way actually has a huge positive impact on the brain.

Aside from the overall feeling of goodness brought by the feel-good hormones, having gratitude for something that has happened or hasn’t happened yet is a good way of setting things in a positive direction.

2. Being physically active.

Do something physical. Move.

This is to clear your mind with negativities and get your thoughts in order.

Working out? Stretching? Whatever works for you. Just make sure to get physically active, even if that means squeezing it in your 10 minutes of free time.

As for me, I like to take a 30-minute morning brisk walk before breakfast.

3. Being Inspired.

Listening to your favorite podcast, reading a book, listening to an audiobook, or singing along to your favorite song?

Take your pick! Because as long as it inspires you – you better include it in your morning routine.

30 minutes or an hour? It doesn’t matter! The point is for you to get the amount of energy you need to jumpstart your day.

These are just some of the “many”, and it may or may not work for everyone because, after all, we still have our own cup of tea.

This is not about what morning routines successful people do, but about how having one helps a lot in achieving success.

Gratitude, movement, inspiration – in general shows what morning routine’s really all about. 

Here’s another place for easier jumpstart!

To your morning routine and success,