Managing well means taking care of the team. But alongside the responsibilities, decisions, and actions, leaders also need to practice self-care. When you ignore your needs, it affects your ability to lead. Stress spills over and affects your mood. It impacts your interactions with the team too.
And worst of all: It leads to burnout.
Self-care is not the occasional manicure, day at the spa, or afternoon naps on Sundays. Instead, intentional and mindful practices maintain your overall well-being. And that purposefulness is key, as you should advocate for your health as strongly as you do for your team.
Let me put this into another context: Professional athletes. Their performance isn’t solely the result of training, but also recovery. Without that second component, they can’t perform at their peak.
And the same holds true for leaders. Self-care ensures you remain physically and emotionally able to meet the necessary demands to support and guide your team.
Here are practical tips to help practice self-care as leaders.
Practicing Physical Well-Being
Let’s start with physical well-being. You might think it means just exercise and diet, but it involves much more. Physical health can impact your ability to make decisions, think creatively, plan strategically, and be positive.
- Establish a consistent sleep routine. Despite the hustle-culture and humble-bragging of functioning 100% on only four hours of sleep, it’s simply not true. You need sleep, ideally at least seven hours.
- Take breaks in the day too. Ten minutes here and there, whether it’s stepping away from work, taking a nap, or just quietly listening to music lets you recharge throughout the day.
- Incorporate movement. For example, take a walk or stretch.
Pro point!: Put it in your calendar!
Treat self-care with the same priority as meetings and other responsibilities. That means putting it into your calendar and making it non-negotiable.
Practicing Emotional Resilience
There’s often the misconception that a leader can never show vulnerability. It’s not a sign of weakness when you show your emotions or admit to being stressed or anxious. And in fact, by doing so, you give permission for the team to ask for help rather than struggle alone.
- Openly manage stress and acknowledge your limits. Transparent communication about workload and well-being sets a healthy standard for your team.
- Engage in acts of kindness, both towards yourself and others. These acts boost neurotransmitters linked with happiness and satisfaction.
- Regularly self-reflect. When you reflect, you are able to recognize your emotional needs and proactively address them.
Practicing Mental Clarity
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by so many responsibilities, projects, surprise emergencies, and deadlines. Non-stop work, and that includes thinking about work, is not productive!
- Allocate time for enjoyable activities that provide either mental or physical challenge.
- Keep learning. Again, mental challenges are important.
- Practice mindfulness techniques. You can meditate, do deep-breathing exercises, or take a long walk in nature, just to name a few examples.
Practicing Social Connections
Social wellness involves nurturing relationships outside of the workplace. Leaders often sacrifice personal time for professional responsibilities, which can lead to isolation and stress.
- Set boundaries for time at work. As much as is possible, start no earlier and finish no later than set times.
- Recognize and lean on your support systems. A support network positively affects long-term success and well-being.
- Schedule regular social activities with friends and family.
Wrapping Up
Committing to self-care is also committing to better leadership. It should be viewed as essential, not optional. In fact, be serious about self-care!
Not only does it improve your life, but it also sets a powerful example for your team. And by addressing your needs, you become better able to meet the needs of those you lead.
Remember: If you are stressed, your team feels it. And when your team feels your stress, they mirror it!