At Thrive Global, in honor of International Women’s Day, we’re inviting women business leaders to share how they Thrive.
Thrive Global: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about prioritizing your health and well-being?
Jen Fisher: When we ignore our needs and allow ourselves to be depleted to the point of exhaustion, everybody loses. Our friends, our family, and our co-workers, don’t get the best of us. And neither do we.
TG: What’s the best advice that you would give women about preventing burnout?
JF: We are human beings, not human doings, not human chasings. It’s okay to not be everything to everyone AND it is okay to ask for help from others. We should celebrate that!
TG: What’s important in your life outside of work? What helps you thrive? With a demanding schedule, how do you make time for these important things?
JF: Sleep, exercise and time with family. I schedule them in my calendar and honor them like the are the most important meetings I have — because they are!
TG: How do you prioritize when you have an overwhelming amount to do?
JF: I bucket things into categories of “just get it done”, “take a deep breath and focus,” and, “Gonna need a cup of coffee and patience.” Then, I usually tackle a few things on the “just get it done list” — so I feel like I have accomplished something and that frees up my mind for focus and patience!
TG: When you notice you’re getting too stressed, what do you do to course correct?
JF: I step away from whatever is causing the stress, focus on something else, go for a walk, call a friend — then I revisit it once I have had a chance to clear my head. It’s not easy to do, but once you put it into practice you can more often than not use it as an opportunity for growth and self-awareness.
TG: How do you reframe negative thinking so you can feel “unstuck” and move forward?
JF: My favorite reframing is of the terminology “failing fast” — because who defines failure and why? Instead I like to call it learning fast!