Toolbox Therapy: Surviving the Daily Grind Without Losing Your Nuts and Bolts

I hate everyone. This is a phrase that sometimes comes out of my mouth on days when I am tired, stressed, and feeling underappreciated. Not the most therapy thing to say, but I am human before I am a therapist. I don’t really hate everyone. But sometimes I just want to crawl under the covers and sink into isolation.

I bet you can relate to this. As a woman in a trade, everyday you go to work running the risk that you will be subjected to stereotypes and discrimination. It’s exhausting to constantly have to prove that you belong in the same place as your male counterparts. Not only are you physically exhausted at the end of the day, but you are emotionally exhausted.

The unfortunate reality is that as a woman, you do not have the luxury of walking onto a worksite and having the same experience as your male counterpart. Because of this, it is so important to practice extra self-care. Here are some ways that you can keep from losing your mind:

1. Get enough sleep, eat well and stay hydrated.

2. The night before, create a plan for how you might handle difficult situations.

3. Establish a calming morning routine. Have a cup of coffee, read, stretch, etc.

4. Find a go-to person that you can vent to. This allows you to release emotions with someone you can trust.

5. Create a calming ritual at night. Allow time for exercise, wind down time before bed, etc.

6. Pause throughout the day. Taking even short breaks to breathe and reset can help.

7. Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of the day or week. This helps to keep motivation going.

Remember, even the toughest nuts and bolts need a little TLC.