It's no secret that Type A's are driven to get things done. In the 24/7 world of constantly being connected, this Type A core trait can bite you in the butt. Before you know it, you are over-committed, impatient, worn out, wound up and wondering where your life went.
One of the hardest things for a top-performing Type A to do is to walk away, throw in the towel and surrender. For Type A's It often feels easier and safer to accelerate full-speed ahead, rather than turn the wheel in a new direction. So, it's no surprise that research shows Type A's have a much greater tendency towards stress and heart attacks.
Type A behavior was first described as a potential risk factor in coronary disease in the 1950s. The type of extra stress that most Type A's experience takes a toll on their health and lifestyle. Side effects can include high blood pressure, heart disease, and social isolation. If you are a Type A personality, let 2010 be the year you take your life back!
- Forget about finding work-life balance. That magical spot where everything is perfectly balanced simply doesn't exist in real life. There's too much uncertainty in life. If you keep searching for imagined work-life balance, you'll just end up increasing your stress&
- Try this instead: Design your life so that the most important elements are included and then build in some breathing room to manage changing priorities. This dynamic framework gives you flexibility to accommodate unexpected demands without sacrificing what's truly important. Make sure you include plenty of time for yourself.
- Turn off your work at a reasonable time each day. Stop work at least two hours before you head to bed. Avoid the temptation to check your e-mail just before you crawl under the covers. Reading work e-mails will get you all wound up just when you need to be powering down your brain for a good night's rest. Here's a tip: Recharge your Blackberry in a room you have no reason to enter. If it's out of sight, it's easier to put it out of mind.
- Limit your caffeine and fast food intake. In the Type A rush to get things done, don't rely on jolts of empty energy to power through tight schedules. It may give you a temporary lift or save a few minutes, but over the long haul, it's going to decrease stamina and cloud your thinking.
- Have dinner with the family or – if you don't have family nearby – a non-work-related friend. Practice laughing while you eat. Research shows laughter improves digestion and relieves stress. Here's a question to jumpstart the laughter: "What is your funniest, most embarrassing moment?"
- Exercise each day. Don't get caught up in the Type A thinking that you need to spend hours exercising. That kind of thinking only overwhelms you or causes you to overdo. Just trade the escalator for the stairs. Bypass the moving sidewalk. Walk around the building at lunch. Stretch between phone calls. The small things add up. Physical activity helps control your weight, reduces stress and improves your mental health.
- Get enough sleep. Most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep a night. Type A's cut corners when it comes to sleep in favor of squeezing in more work or family chores. Here's the deal: When you scrimp on sleep, your analytical thinking skills diminish, which makes you less effective.
- Know when to say "no." Resist the Type A temptation to take on more and more. If you feel overwhelmed and stretched thin, it's time to say no. Get out your To Do List and look at every item. If something's been lingering on your To Do List for more than a couple of weeks, either delegate it or dump it.
- Build in time for relaxation and fun. Walk the dog. Read a novel. Take a nap. The pay-off is enormous. It decreases stress, lowers your blood pressure and decreases anger and frustration while improving concentration and boosts your confidence.
- Have a date night with your love. Too often, the last item on our Type A To Do List is the person who means the most to us. Don't let the sparks go cold. At least once every two weeks, grab your special someone and go to dinner, hit the movies or cuddle up with some hot chocolate. Make it a work-free zone.
An award-winning executive coach since 1999, Kay Cannon has been quoted in more than 50 publications. Learn more at www.kaycannon.com.
