Running a business can be rewarding, but it can also be relentless. Long hours, demanding customers, troublesome staff, and the always nail-biting process of visiting the accountant – stress is everywhere, a seemingly constant companion.
Many see stress as simply part of the job, but there is no doubt that stress can have a detrimental impact on decision-making and productivity – not good for any business leader – but, perhaps more importantly can have a real impact on physical health and wellbeing.
At the beginning of June, Auto Women members had the opportunity to learn some practical strategies on getting a handle on stress and their health thanks to a special webinar presentation health and nutrition coach Elle Sproll.
Elle’s session explored how participants can better recognise the signs of stress, create healthier boundaries and develop habits that make everything a little less tense and worrisome.
Elle approaches the subject from a deeply personal perspective. At the age of 33, she was diagnosed with cancer, an experience that fundamentally changed the way she viewed health and wellbeing. The diagnosis sparked a journey to understand what genuine self-care and good health really meant and, ultimately, to sharing her knowledge with others.
“That’s the quest that I’m on now,” said Elle. “I do try and help people who have gotten sick in some way and need to learn to take care of themselves and help themselves recover. But the thing I’m more passionate about is helping people to understand what it really means to take care of yourself before something really big slaps you in the face.”
Before her diagnosis, Elle worked in senior marketing roles within the corporate sector. Today she combines her wellness advocacy work with a return to the corporate world, putting the lessons she has learned into practice. There are many lessons but there are, Elle said, some key ones that everyone can follow.
One of those is the importance of slowing down – which can be tough in a world that always seems to be so demanding of our time.
Elle explained that this was one of the first changes she made after her illness.
“I actually just got up 30 minutes earlier, which then gave me time to get ready, or time to eat my breakfast, or time to spend five minutes sitting in the sun, or time to pat my dog,” she explained.
Participants in the webinar were given this tip and six others to consider:
Protect Your Energy – Slow down, manage your pace and take regular breaks throughout the day.
Sleep like it matters – Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep and minimise screen time before bed.
Fuelling resilience – Focus on vegetables, fruits, whole foods, quality protein and staying hydrated.
Move your body – Regular physical activity supports both physical health and mental wellbeing.
Build boundaries – Learn to say no and avoid constantly putting others’ ahead of you. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it is necessary.
Prioritise yourself without guilt – Prioritise self-care without guilt and regularly check in on your wellbeing. Think of the oxygen-mask-on-a-plane analogy –put your own mask on first!
Upgrade your inner voice – Be mindful of how you speak to and about yourself, and challenge negative thinking.
For women, and men, working in the automotive industry, balancing work demands with personal commitments can be difficult and stress is a part of life. It’s a scenario Elle acknowledges and challenges every day.
“You can be successful at work whilst not compromising your health,” she said.
That message was at the heart of the webinar and it was an inspiring one.
“Elle delivered an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking session that resonated strongly,” said Kellie Dewar, Deputy CEO of MTA Queensland and co-founder of Auto Women.
“The discussion around managing stress, setting boundaries and prioritising wellbeing provided attendees with plenty of tools they can immediately apply in both their professional and personal lives. Balancing work, family and career can be challenging, especially in the automotive industry, and we’re grateful to Elle for sharing her journey.”