Maintaining a work-life balance is essential if you are the lead in developing mental health services for a community of 180,000 people.
For Operations Director Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Services Cara McCormack you can’t have one without the other.
This Queensland Women’s Week (3 – 14 March) we are celebrating superwomen of the Mackay HHS, like Cara, who continue to break the glass ceiling in life and in work.
With over 20 years working in mental health, both as a psychologist and in leadership positions, Cara is dedicated to helping others. Her other passion in life is for multisport and adventure racing.
Multisport and adventure racing includes a mixture of sports into a single event, over a long period of time and rugged terrain. They are often undertaken as part of a team.
In her chase for adventure, Cara is no stranger to being lost in an unknown location relying on her team mates to help her through the rugged course. This is an experience she says helps her in her day job.
“Through my sport I have met some inspiring people and have learnt that I have more resilience than I ever thought possible. In my day job I work with amazing people who are passionate about providing excellent care to the community,” she said.
“In my role, no two days are ever the same and agility, teamwork and responsiveness are fundamental, which my training helps me achieve.
“I am a better person at work because of the enjoyment and sense of achievement I have gained from competing.”
Like many, Cara juggles her full-time job while maintaining a gruelling training schedule. She believes work-life balance is important for Queensland women to maintain in order to continue to forge their own paths.
“I train every day, often twice a day with a mix of strength training, riding, swimming and running. I try to do longer training sessions of a weekend once a month, where I might combine a long ride with a hike, or a kayak, ride and hike,” she said
“The training is very important for my personal wellbeing and stress management and that makes it very easy to prioritise.”
This Queensland Women’s Week Cara has a message for women who may be feeling the pressure to perform and have it all.
“Be true to yourself in whatever you are doing, and treat yourself with compassion and kindness. It is so easy to be caught up in trying to be everything to everyone,” she said.
“Connecting to what gives me energy and ignites my passion is the only way I am able to live my best life.”
