Erica: Hey, girl. By now, you know I have Her Collective, my online community for ambitious women who are done doing it alone. Her Collective is for the women who are smart, capable, and driven, but they find themselves stuck on the sticky floors like self doubt, burnout, and waiting for permission that quite honestly never comes. Inside HER, you get more than motivation. You get real support, real strategies, and real momentum.

Erica: We work on things like clarifying what you want now and what's coming next, building confidence without burning yourself out, navigating hard conversations, career moves, and leadership moments with clarity, and surrounding yourself with women who actually get it. This isn't about hustling harder. It's about moving intentionally with the right tools and the right people in your corner. If you're ready to stop spinning, start choosing yourself, and build a career in life that actually feels aligned, I'd love to welcome you inside her collective. You can learn more and join us at www.joinhercollective.com.

Erica: Because honestly, girl, you were never meant to do this alone. Do you ever wonder why some people just seem to get so much more done than other people? And it feels like you're barely keeping your head above the water? Well, it's not just about working harder, and I really want you to listen in today and pay attention to this because it's not about grinding. It's not about burning daylight or burning the candle at those ends.

Erica: It's about working smarter, and a huge part of that is actually taking care of your health. Yes. Both your mind and your body. And in today's episode, we're gonna talk about this, and we're gonna dive deep into the powerful connection between your health and your ability to have peak performance and peak productivity. We're talking about mental clarity, physical vitality, and the incredible impact that they have on your productivity.

Erica: Now I'm so passionate about this topic because maybe you know this, maybe you don't, but for decades, I was and still am a certified personal trainer. And I did nutrition coaching and group exercise classes, one on one training sessions, and literally everything in between. And physical fitness and exercise is a huge part of my life still to this day. I don't find myself doing as much of it when it was my full time job, but the way that my feeling I live, it's fully focused on taking care of our minds and our bodies. So I want you to turn up the dial on this one because here is what is great.

Erica: You can start today, and it doesn't cost a thing. In fact, you can start right now while you're listening to this podcast. Throw on your tennis shoes, pop in some earbuds, and get outside and get walking. But let's get started because you know I'm not about wasting time, and this is gonna open up a world of possibilities for you. And the best part is, it's not just good for your body, but it is essential for smashing your goals as well.

Erica: You are listening to the Glass Ceiling and Sticky Floor podcast. The podcast that will empower you to shatter limiting beliefs and toxic behaviors to uncover infinite possibilities so you can live your best life. I'm Erica Rooney, and I'm on a mission to bring more women into positions of power and keep them there. I'm obsessed with all things growth and abundance, and I'm here to talk you through the tried and true secrets to get you to level up your career and your life. We talk about the hard stuff here.

Erica: Imposter syndrome, perfectionism, fear, and burnout. So pull up a seat, pop in an earbud, and let's dive in. So let's start with the basics, shall we? I'm gonna start with sleep. Sleep is probably one of my favorite activities, but let me ask you a question.

Erica: Have you ever felt that you could just conquer the world after a great night's sleep? Y'all, that's not just you having a good mood. Right? It is actually science and y'all know I'm not fair of science. But according to a study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, quality sleep is directly linked to better problem solving skills and enhanced memory performance.

Erica: So think about it. Those nights where you are tossing and turning and maybe you've had too much caffeine too late in the day and you just don't get good sleep, how do you feel when you wake up? Like, you know what? Like crap. You feel sluggish and you've got that brain fog where it just takes so much longer to come up with a coherent answer and your kids are driving you crazy, and you just end up dragging yourself through the day, throwing coffee and other energy drinks down your face just to stay awake and make it through some meetings.

Erica: These type of days make me feel so slow. Everything feels like a drag. Literally, like, I'm one big fat slimy slug just pulling myself into a Zoom meeting. But if you get that solid eight hours and you wake up a few minutes before your alarm goes off, how do you feel then? Like, you can take on the dang world.

Erica: Right? Like, you can conquer anything. And that's why it is so important that you have a sleep ritual. A bedtime ritual that quiets the mind and settles the body so that your physical body and your brain can go into a restorative state. Now I'm a sleep queen y'all but this ritual, it actually signals to your body that it is time to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Erica: And if you have kids, you know the importance of a bedtime routine. Right? Like you start that as early as possible. Parents stick to it like it is a written law because if you don't, your your kid turns into a little gremlin for the entire day. But this translates into adulthood.

Erica: So you listening, this is a game changer for you. Stop staying up late watching TV until midnight. It's not good for you. You need to find a consistent bedtime routine so that you can regulate your body's clock what's called your circadian rhythm which will help you fall asleep and wake up more easily. So you're probably wondering what does a good routine look like.

Erica: Right? Like, I've heard a million things and the true answer is it's different for everybody. Now I'll share with you mine and then we can talk about some other things if you want to incorporate that, but you have to make it your own. But for me, I have created a haven in my bedroom. Now before bed, I will light my favorite candle so that the room smells nice and I blow it out before I climb into bed.

Erica: But once I am in bed, because I have kids, this is just what we do. We snuggle. We watch little TV. We unwind from our day. Right?

Erica: Some people will say that the blue lights from the TV are bad for you. I know. But you know what? This is the part of my routine, and it works for me and my family. So it's what we do.

Erica: I'm not super crazy in the fact that I don't go all in on all the things, and I don't want you to either. I want you to do what works for you. So if that's having the TV on a little bit before you fall asleep, so be it. But once it's my bedtime, right, and the kids' bedtime, which for us it's the same, their dad comes in and takes them up. I handle mornings, he handles the evenings, I turn off the TV, I make sure my alarm is set, and then I put on my luxurious sleep mask, which I'll link it in my Instagram because it's the best sleep mask ever.

Erica: And, of course, you can get it on Amazon. But I do the sleep mask because my husband does come in, and he doesn't have the best nighttime routine. He comes in at midnight or 11:00 after the Knicks have played. And you know what, Dan? If you're listening to this, you need to take some notes here.

Erica: Okay? But so sleep mask goes on, and then I turn on a sleep meditation. For me, I use the Peloton sleep meditation, but the different exercises really help me slow my breathing. Sometimes they do a body scan. It helps me let go of the stress, and I can really just kinda drift off into sleep.

Erica: And most days, I drift off before the meditation has even ended, And then boom, I'm out. Now I also take a magnesium supplement, which I think helps. And I have the comfiest sheets and duvet and a silk pillowcase. And because I'm heading into that lovely perimenopausal state of life, I have a bed jet, which is amazing, and it has transformed my sleep. I will also link that in my Instagram so you can see what I'm talking about.

Erica: But if this ain't your jam, other things that you might do before bed are turning down all the lights in the house, dropping the AC to make it cooler, reading a book, maybe some light stretching or some breathing exercises. Now here's the thing, when you lower your stress and anxiety before bed, you are creating the optimal conditions for deep and restorative sleep. All of that leads to improved mood, better cognitive function, and you guessed it, better productivity during the waking hours. You can get more shit done in less time. So now now that you got your sleep routine down, I wanna talk to you a little bit about exercise.

Erica: And y'all fitness is in my blood. One of my core values is health and wellness, but exercise can be the catalyst for all things peak productivity. And here's why. Improved brain function. Y'all, this is again the science of it, but regular physical activity increases the blood flow to your brain which sharpens your awareness and makes you ready to tackle that next big project.

Erica: And believe it or not, it also stimulates the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells. And I don't know about you, but I feel like I could always use some more brain cells. So exercise also helps improve concentration and your memory and so studies have shown that exercise can lead to improved concentration, sharper memory, and faster learning. So for example, a study from the University of British Columbia found that regular aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, biking, you know, the kind of exercise that gets your heart rate up and your sweat glands a pumpin', It appears to boost the size of your hippocampus and what does the hippocampus do? Well it's involved in verbal memory and learning.

Erica: Okay. What does that do? It helps with your productivity. Okay. Now exercise also improves your mood and it releases endorphins.

Erica: The chemicals in the brain that act as the natural painkiller and the mood elevator. And if you're in a good mood guess what You experience less stress, less anxiety, and all of that leads to better emotional resilience. And if you're less stressed, you're able to concentrate more on your work and get more shit done. So you have more energy, you sleep better, and you're less stressed when you have regular exercise in your life. But do you know what exercise and physical activity also does?

Erica: This is my favorite. It shows you that you can do hard things and you might be asking me why and how does this make and give me more time in my day. Right? Think about it. It gives you the resilience needed to push through the things that you might have otherwise put off for another day and that resilience is required for peak productivity.

Erica: Really I like to think of it as a procrastination killer and y'all this isn't a hack here it's science but when you work out with each step of that walk or each mile you put down or each weight that you lift, you are showing yourself that you can do the tough stuff, that you literally and physically are one step closer to your goal in each moment. That is forward momentum. And forward momentum will carry you through the tough times when life gets busy, when it gets hectic, when you do have a lot on your plate. You can more easily and more strategically apply everything that I've been talking about here to the work that you need to do and want to do without burning out and getting stressed out. And here's the beauty of it.

Erica: Your workouts don't have to be these crazy intensive hard workouts where you leave it all on the mat or all in the gym and barfing type of workouts. Right? They can be moderate activities like a brisk walk or cycling. And all of that is going to lead to significant benefits for your brain function and productivity. And last but definitely not least, I wanna talk about taking care of your mental health and how doing that impacts your productivity.

Erica: Now I am a huge advocate for therapy. In fact, I think that everybody should have a therapist but because therapy isn't for everybody. We're gonna talk a little bit about that and a little bit about some other things. But here's the deal. Therapy isn't just for when life gets tough or when shit hits the fan.

Erica: It's for the moments when there's actually not a lot of stress in your life. And you might be saying, why, Erica? Why would I invest in therapy if I'm rocking and rolling? And to be honest, it's because during those moments is when you can learn the tools that you really need to help you for when shit does hit the fan. Now I talk a lot about therapy here but really whatever your mental health practice is going to help improve your productivity so long as you are consistent with it.

Erica: But with therapy in particular, it's great for stress and anxiety reduction. Y'all, when you get out of a good therapy session, you can learn how to cope with your stress and anxiety, which guess what? Stress and anxiety block productivity. Okay? So therapy will help you beat that stress and anxiety.

Erica: You cannot be super productive and focused if you are swamped with stress and overcome with anxiety. It's all about that mental space. Right? The stress and anxiety, it takes up a lot of mental space which overloads your nervous system. Now you can learn to move through these emotions faster.

Erica: Right? Life is gonna life y'all and people will make you frustrated. They'll make you sad, angry, and disappointed. But if you have a great therapist or a great mental health practice, you can learn to emotionally regulate in a way that is productive. What do I mean by that?

Erica: Well, let's say someone at work ticks you off and it sends you spiraling. Right? You end up ruminating on that person, why they annoyed you, why they frustrated you, and you can waste a half of a day bitching to Sarah at the water cooler. Right? Now while being able to release that frustration is a good thing, and I encourage it, if you've been taking care of your mental health and learning how to emotionally regulate, you can learn to acknowledge your feelings and then use the tools that you have to move through them faster, bringing you back to that emotional state of calm, which you guessed it.

Erica: You can be way more productive if you are calmer than if you are frustrated. Now therapy doesn't have to be your mental health practice. Right? But it is a very good one because it's personalized and it can help you in real time. But if it's not for you, other practices you might incorporate into your life to help with your productivity could be journaling, it could be a regular gratitude practice, meditation, yoga, different breathing techniques.

Erica: There's a ton of different things out there. Right? Maybe throw in a digital detox. That is always great for clearing up some mental space. All of them are great options so I want you to just take what serves you and then leave the rest.

Erica: Now the key to unlocking the highest level of productivity it starts with your physical body. It starts with physical body. It starts with taking care of your mental and your physical health. And we started this episode by unpacking the science behind a good night's sleep and a regular exercise routine, and we talked about how it's not just good for our bodies, but they also sharpen our minds and expand our capabilities. And then we explored how therapy and other mental health practices can clear the mental clutter that really hold us back.

Erica: Right? Helping us focus, make better decisions, and ultimately step up our productivity game. Because here's the deal y'all, every little bit adds up. So as you go through the week, I wanna challenge you to pick one or two of these strategies that we discussed, and I want you to put them into practice. Now remember, it might take a while.

Erica: This is not going to transform overnight. Right? And it might take you a little bit of trial and error to figure out what works for you. Right? But over time, as the changes take place and take hold, you become this supercharged unstoppable productivity queen that just gets shit done and gets it done fast.

Erica: Now I also don't want to leave you thinking that, like, oh, great. Now I have all of these things that I have to add to my do list because that's just gonna make you more stressed out. If it doesn't resonate with you, leave it. But start implementing these practices and just notice how you feel. Right?

Erica: This is not about adding things to your list but about living a richer more fuller life where you feel productive and successful and fulfilled. Now if you're on the mission to make the most of the time that you have in the days and in the days of your life, I got something for you. My digital course, Reimagine It All, the personal and professional playbook for ambitious women, starts on June 17. You will learn how to make your own success, master your time, and unlock a new level of potential with my science pack system that is designed to add value to your life, not shit to do on your to do list. And I am y'all I just I'm so excited about bringing this to you because you deserve to have all of the time in the world and you deserve to have time to go after your dreams.

Erica: You deserve time to focus on you and you deserve more time for the moments that matter. And that's what I teach you in this course how to create more time. I like to think of it as like time crafting quite literally manipulating time so that you have more of it in your life for those moments that matter. Now click the link in the show notes and I will see you there but y'all thank you for listening and tuning in. If you have not already dropped that five star review do it today it really helps it land in the hands of the woman that needs to hear it the most And don't forget, head over to my socials.

Erica: If you're listening here, make sure you are following me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok. I drop some really great stuff over there, and I don't want you to miss out. But until next time, remember, the only ceilings that exist are the ones we place over ourselves. Let's smash through them together.