Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

Many parents around the world struggle with sleeping patterns of their children and often themselves too.

What to do? Especially, when on holiday break?

It’s a challenging endeavour and can make one get to physical and mental exhaustion. It’s important to listen to oneself and one’s body’s signals. Having a different sleeping schedule comparing to the everyday life is rather normal during the holidays. Don’t we adults have that too? Why do we expect anything different from our kids? Yet, it doesn’t take away the wonders and questions of self doubt if we’re doing something wrong.

Some recommendations for better sleeping hygiene:

@drschwank

@unesurcent

What to do as working parents when daycare/ schools are closed?

The holidays weather in the northern hemisphere is usually quite a challenge. Especially, with smaller kids who can’t yet be put on skis. Many parents decide to skip the chaos up in the Swiss mountains, but where to go to get some urgently needed sunlight and not too much hassle?

Parents of small children in the lowlands of Switzerland are best equipped, if they have a day bag packed. Ready for an easy start to head out into the sun. Overall, gloves, winter boots, hat, and sunglasses ready at hand.

Activities around the lake of Zurich:

-Uetliberg (check webcam and crowded!)

-Felsenegg cable care & tea house (open on weekends)

-Albis great view, lots of sun, and awesome slide ride hill (car or postcard only)

-Any place higher up near by, such as: Einsiedeln, Rigi, even St. Gallen

Catch a train and off you go!

@drschwank

@unesurcent

Spending time with loved ones can be one of the greatest joys of the winter holidays. But family time can also result in conflict.

Long manifested challenging family dynamics can cause friction between members of ones and cast a shadow over happy gatherings.

There is always the family members that don’t get along. Holiday stress can amplify the already tense situation among family members, especially if out-of-town visitors are staying with you. Even joyous family gatherings can add stress by creating more work for those who are hosting relatives or traveling out of town for family gatherings.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

Prioritizing guilt free self care is essential. Self care is often misinterpret  as a luxury “problem”. The opposite is true, it’s an intentional practice that nurtures your emotional, spiritual, physical, and intellectual well-being.

As many are parents; especially mothers, experiencing reoccurring guilt is a big topic. Guilt for not spending enough time with the children, not giving the child top priority, nor being fully present and dedicated at work. The omnipresent feeling of guilt is exhausting and can be defined as contaminated time.

Self care implies establishing habits that allow to sustain long-term, not just recover from moments of exhaustion. 

Seeking help from a mental health coach or therapist to a make a significant difference in managing seasonal pressures.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

Tips to manage the holiday break

@drschwank

@unesurcent

Today‘s  podcast is in conversation with Dr. Christine, live from New York and off her therapist sofa. Together with Dr. Simone, live from Hong Kong, we discussed the topic of infertility, IVF treatments, and common themes and practices in our therapy sessions.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@drchristineforte

@optimalperformancezurich

Spending another research trip in beloved Shanghai, yet feel as lonely as one can feel.

Arriving in the city, the central business airport and I’m the only western person passing migration.

Such an experience is very interesting, yet l certainly challenging, lonely, and lost in translation, despite the language proficiency. There is something difficult to put the finger on, but it’s a small mutual nominator that’s just not present. Therefore it’s very challenging to make oneself understood, even if speaking the same language. Especially, this doesn’t only apply to China, but places and countries, where the optical look of the person speaking the language don’t overlap. People per default don’t assume someone like me, a white woman speaking fluent Mandarin. It’s our inner stereotypes that mess with us. These stereotypes have been established over our lifetime and are short cuts for the brain to handle the vast information we’re exposed to. Nothing, a child learns earlier, then recognising the parents’ faces. Even the slightest changes have a profound effect on the facial recognition. It is potentially therefore, I wonder, that people have a harder time placing language and look, when it’s not matching their inner mental map. Many small interaction components are quite different, depending on the culture, such as minimal responses, gestures, and gazes. These components can all contribute to miss understandings and miss-interpretations. Then in addition, it depends on face values and how important it is to save face, a cultural difference among East and West. It refers to the ease of whether to dare to try and communicate even if the consequence is loosing face in public.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

Two generations ago, my family decided to move east and explore new territories. A fascination, admiration, and certain level of adventure certainly played a role. A love affair that I had already during early teens. Living in Shanghai was a true dream and returning for my PhD and onward research was almost too good to be true. This very research also connected my partner and me, an MD PhD with family originating from Shanghai. How can the world be so small? Now, my immediate family is also connecting east and west.

“We need more of this!” a lovely black New Yorker said to us! I couldn’t agree more. We need to unite and see the other side of the world, in order to appreciate and understand each other. The more we approach and accommodate each other, the more we see how similar and like-minded we are.

Global citizens are shaped by experiences, appreciation, and respect for others, always with a curious mind.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Many of us live in rush hour 24/7. Their everyday life in the hamster wheel. But how can we escape the hamster wheel and set boundaries for ourselves? How can we deal with the fear of missing out and where to say no or stop.

• We need to tolerate the consequences of boundary setting, for ourselves and our environment. This is also why it’s so hard, because you won’t get any positive reinforcement of your behavior of saying no.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

We’re constantly on, rushing, running, trying to get a giant to-do list done. It is crucial to take some time out of your busy day, go for a 15min walk, a manicure, hair wash, facial massage, a candle light yoga time at home, something small, that’s giving you the care and nurture you need.

We all need me time minutes, to be a better partner, parent, boss for our employees, including ourselves, if we’re self employed.

Take this seriously, before you burn out ❤️