If you were a dog and I told you to sit, then I smacked you upside the head, what would you do?

Hopefully, if you are in full doggy mode, you would grit your teeth and later take a poo in my brand new shoes (I’m a dog lover, can’tcha tell?) More realistically, however, you would simply not sit again the next time I told you to.

Now, picture that you are again that same dog. I tell you to sit. This time, I pat you on the head, maybe rub your belly, tell you “good boy!” and then give you a treat.

What would you do NOW, the next time I told you to sit?

That’s right, you would do it again, perhaps quicker and with more shakes wag of your tail. You are happy to complete the mission because you are fairly sure that the result will be the same. You believe, there is a treat just right around the corner.

I’m here to share with you that as people, as professional businesswomen and businessmen, we deserve a treat. But here’s the catch, we don’t usually have owners that love us like furry creatures, rubbing our bellies when we do something good.

So, it’s up to us. We must provide our own treats; or, what you might refer to as ‘rewards.’ This is mentally, physically and professionally important.

Mentally: Treating yourself for a job well done (whether it is at work or at home) Is mentally important because we are conditioned beings.

Think of it. When was the last time that you did something without knowing that there was a reward around the corner? Why would you workout if you knew you wouldn’t lose weight or stay healthy? You wouldn’t.

So, if we condition ourselves to make some time to treat ourselves for the accomplishments we’ve made, we will be more likely to continue to produce results.

Did you score that huge client for 2012 that you have been fighting to gain, tooth and nail, preparing for endless hours? Give yourself a treat. Seriously. Whatever a ‘treat’ is for you, celebrate by showing yourself that you deserve the kudos. Mentally, you will want to do it again.

Physically: Have you ever fallen asleep on the floor at 8 p.m? I have. I just did, actually. And guess what? I felt bad, for a second, but then I realized why it happened. I wasn’t treating myself to enough rest.
We aren’t superhuman (at least most of us don’t run around in batman outfits claiming to protect Gotham). But we do run around the workplace, we dedicate time to family and friends and we get TIRED.

Physically, for your body’s sake, it is important to treat ourselves to a breather. Pay attention to when you are running low on steam and, wait for it, wait for it… just give in. Trust me, you will get sick less and you will perform better and happier if you treat your body to some breaks.

Professionally: When you Treat yourself mentally and physically well, you are giving yourself permission to celebrate life. You deserve it, and when you truly believe you deserve these ‘Treats,’ your professional success will absolutely skyrocket! Why? Because you are taking care of yourself, first and foremost.

Remember what the flight attendant says when describing the oxygen mask?…
“First, place the oxygen mask on yourself, then assist others near you.”
So, my question to you is: Are you putting your oxygen mask on first or last?

Jessica Tomlinson, Visionary Founder of The Treat Las Vegas a 3 day women’s event happening August 21-24, 2012 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. You can contact Jessica at Jessica@thetreatlv.com

**Join the Me Time Movement at http://wwwthetreatlasvegas.com/ & put your name and email in the box to sign-up for a FREE gift that will help you RELAX!