TIME TO REFLECT AND REST

 

Leaders have been challenged and possibly pushed to their limits during this year. I have worked with many of them through the shock, adjustments, and now the need to ‘just keep going’.

Does this sound familiar?

Much of my work right now is around Energy Management and Sustainability. More energy than usual is used when we need to rapidly change and adapt to something new. We can waste our energy worrying about things that we can’t control, which can in turn lead to sleepless nights, poor diets and possibly over-indulgence in alcohol consumption to numb our emotions.

Advanced Leaders will have the self-awareness to know when they are in need of recovery time. They will not keep pushing on in denial because they think that is what is being asked of them.

As we enter the winter season, it is worth remembering that we are animals and part of nature. We are designed to store more body fat, sleep longer and use less energy over winter. If you look around, the fields are fallow and other living things aren’t growing much during this season.

So take stock of how much energy you have used this year and how much energy you have now. What are your signs that you are getting run down? Stressed at work?

Eventually, your performance as a Leader will go down if you don’t consciously recover your energy and allow your body and mind to rest properly.

During times of great social change there are opportunities to find out what works better, how resourceful we really are – and also where our limits are.

Your support team in your organization will be looking to you to see what is permissible. So Leaders who are self-aware enough to know when they have reached their limit and confident enough to take time out to rest and recover will be setting a great example to their colleagues in their organizations.

Prevent burnout for yourself and those you lead.