"Put your own mask on first before assisting others."

All of us that have flown with a commercial airline, are familiar with these words ..

It's a fairly understandable concept in principle.. Both cabin pressure and oxygen fall, causing you to blackout.. Rendering it impossible for you to assist anyone else.

… Simple right?

Yet so many of us find it difficult to heed these words in other aspects of our personal and professional lives. The mask in this case is of course metaphorical - but the importance remains the same.

It is often perceived as selfish by many of us.. How we could possibly think of taking time for ourselves when ...

.. Others need our help .. ?

.. Deadlines are encroaching .. ?

.. There are jobs to be done .. ?

.. This list is endless ..

The problem is many of us treat others with more understanding and kindness than we treat ourselves... We drive ourselves at an unsustainable pace and the final destination is a cliff on the precipice of our mental health...

Burnout. Fatigue. Anxiety. Depression. Sleeplessness.. These things are real, and the list is not exhaustive.. When we feel in this way, or can see it approaching its important we reflect and ask ourselves questions..

.. How effective can I really be? .. How does this honestly affect the quality of the work I produce? Or the advice I give? Would I honestly expect this of anyone else?

Sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up - To take a step back in order to move forward.

It is only then, can we effectively be the person our friends, family and indeed - our own mind and body - really need.

So what can we do?

We can make time for self care - Read a book, meditate, treat yourself to that break away, find time to exercise.. or even simply for quiet reflection and gratitude .. And for so many of you that need to hear this.. It's ok to say no sometimes!

Investing in your self care and mindset is the most important investment you can make.. For yourself, your career and those you love.

As Jim Rohn once so succinctly put:

“The greatest gift you can give somebody is your own personal development. I used to say, "If you will take care of me, I will take care of you. "Now I say, I will take care of me for you, if you will take care of you for me.”

So take the time.. show self compassion.. and make sure you check you've fastened your own mask first!