Got a Bit On?

Let’s look into your Mental Load

Mental Load in Tradies and the Ladies is not something that is seen or heard!

But you can feel it, by gosh you can feel it!

For example one of our tradies in a HOT SEAT Session for the Legend Status program was completely inundated by the load he carried & struggled to make a decision based on facts rather than emotion & the good ol good bloke syndrome was knocking right at his door!

What is Mental Load?

If you can think of your brain as a balloon, there is a point where it’s a bang on shape, size and volume! The kind that’s the perfect decoration for a party on the outside but sometimes we don’t even register that too much air is blown into the balloon, and it has nowhere to go but to POP! Well, it’s the same for our minds, the more things we take on, the more mental space we’re giving to external things and the less capacity we have for clear thinking, joy & relaxation.

When we start recognising this analogy, that our minds have a capacity (which is different for each and everyone of us), it helps us to reflect that the mental load we’re taking on as business owners and leaders can significantly impact the way we live & do business.

There’s no denying it that a man’s biology is geared towards protecting & providing for their family and therefore they can get SO busy hustling that they forget their own health.

Working long hours, taking no breaks, running from one job to the next all in order to achieve their life’s purpose. Whilst this can be highly productive, it can surmount many different unhealthy indicators like a lack of sleep, mood swings, not eating enough, not engaging in daily activities and exercise, or seeming disconnected from friends and family.

So what can we do about it?

1. A good place to start is to TAKE STOCK for a moment, get out your diary and please remember to BREATHE - how does this make you feel?

Are you a bit overwhelmed? Are there some icky feelings that you really don’t have time for this kind of stuff and that you should be working?
Uh huh we think it might be well and truly time to evaluate just how much is on your plate mate! We suggest grabbing a cuppa with your business/life partner or just a good mate that you’ve got full trust in to have an open and honest chat about how you’re really going, and how you can declutter life.

2. It’s time to let go of the jobs that are not serving you, they might be as easy as pie, but they’re just not your jam and they keep getting pushed back… let’s look into OUTSOURCING these tasks to someone else who does have the time!
This simple act of drawing a line in the sand to NOT do something anymore can be a huge relief, helping you to feel on top of things.

For example, when we went to Cairns for the Money Junket, I paid for my neighbour to do my lawns & gardens before we returned home. I have never done this before! But it was amazing and I felt like it was one less thing I had to do.

Offload those jobs that you never get to, it’ll be a game changer!

3. SELF CARE is so important for decluttering the mind, and we know it’s the buzz word of the year, but trust us on this one! It doesn’t have to be pampering or something that only the ladies get to do - find your own version of self care and make time for it in your diary, let’s start thinking about it as being as important as a client meeting!

What’s one thing that allows you to be completely in the moment? That thing where you lose track of time, and you stop thinking about yourself, friends and the world around you? This is a state of mind called getting into your flow, where you’re fully immersed in an activity, forgetting about the outside world, like the issues of running a business!

For example, it might be simply going for a walk to your favourite cafe and sitting down for a coffee (not grabbing a takeaway), or getting the golf clubs in the car and going for a quick round of 9 holes, popping your comfys on and listening to your favourite podcast whilst you chill on the couch or grabbing a few mates for a hit of tennis. That my friend is when your mind lets go and is able to clear & decompress!

We hope these three steps to decluttering the mind and reducing your mental load are of some help! As always please, please touch base with us if this has struck a chord. As part of Tradie Health Month, we’re here to un-pack and chat through anything and everything with you, so please know we’re in this together fam!

Xx Love the Ladies with Tradies team

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