I was talking with a headteacher friend this week, about how she deals with her busy life. We concluded it was all about keeping things in perspective.

For her being busy is a sign that she has a job to do, people who need her and plenty going on in her life and she is thankful for this. She knows that a difficult work situation will not last, and this perspective helps her deal with challenges more positively.

This got me thinking about how important it is to keep things in perspective, especially during this busy period.

What is perspective?

The word perspective can be defined as 'a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view'.

The good news is that we are in control of how we view something. However, the difficulty arises when we are influenced by external factors and our internal thoughts, and allow this to affect our perspective.

We cannot control some external factors but we can control our thoughts. Having awareness of what affects our perspective is important, in order to be in control of how we view things.

What factors affect our perspective?

Our physical well-being - How much sleep we have and whether we are eating healthily will impact on our well-being. If we are exhausted and not looking after ourselves, we will see things differently.

Our mood and emotional state - How we are feeling affects how we view something. When we feel low or are emotionally fragile our view of a situation will be affected.

How much support we have -  If we lack support in our personal and professional lives we are more likely to internalise our thoughts and lose perspective. 

Lacking confidence and self-belief -  When we doubt ourselves our confidence is knocked. If we listen to the internal voice which says 'you are not good at something', our judgement is affected. This will have a damaging impact over time on our self-belief.

External events - There will be events or circumstances which happen that are outside of our control. A particularly busy time at work or family illness, brings additional demands and can cause a negative shift in our view. 

7 Things to help you keep it in perspective

Ask yourself 'how, why and what?' -  A good place to start is by writing down the answer to these questions. 'How do I feel?', 'why do I feel this way?' and 'What can I do to help?' This exercise will help you be clearer on your feelings, show you the facts and put you back in control.

Talking to others - Talking with a colleague, friend, mentor or coach will allow you to think out loud and get things out of your head. This will also give you another perspective.

Looking after yourself - Ensuring that you get enough sleep, eat well and are physically active, will keep your well-being in check.

Being prepared - Good preparation will help you deal with a busy time or challenging situation. Make sure you are well prepared and in control of what you need to do. This will help you to keep things in perspective.

Gratitude -  Being thankful, even when you're having a bad day, will help shift your perspective and impact positively on your mood. Each day name three things you are grateful for.

Being inspired - Find something or someone who inspires you. This could be a person you respect, a beautiful picture or words or phrases which motivate. Write their name, put the words or picture somewhere which can inspire you.

Make time to stop and reflect - Take 5 minutes each day to stop and think about your day, how you felt and what you have learnt. Taking 10 minutes at the end of a week to see an overview will help broaden your perspective. Spending more focused time at the end of a longer period (3 months or a year) will add learning and growth.

Conclusion

We all have times when we feel unsure of ourselves, worry about how others view us or doubt our abilities. The important thing is to be able to bring ourselves back to a place which facilitates a positive perspective.

Having a more positive view in life will ensure you are better equipped to deal with the challenges you face and build your resilience.

You are more likely to achieve your goals if you are able to keep life in perspective. Learning to shift your thinking to reflect the positives puts you in control of where we are heading, resulting in positive self-belief.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog

My name is Diane Benson and I support busy professional women in their personal and professional development. For a healthy work/life balance, reduced stress and increased effectiveness.

Sign up to receive my FREE RESOURCES and tips to support you in your personal and professional development. 

You can also connect with me on Facebook for news and updates.