Leadership can be exhausting. If done in a healthy way you are spending a lot of time listening, making decisions, and serving others.  On top of that, you’re juggling multiple tasks, handling fires left and right, and fueling the growth of your team and company. Amidst all this, we can easily forget to prioritize leading ourselves. It’s easy to put your personal well-being on the back burner, but taking care of yourself is crucial for your success as a leader. Here are a few ideas on taking care of yourself as a leader.

Create Time to Recharge

As a leader you may feel like you are always on.  If you don’t control your schedule, it will control you. Create space in your day for yourself. What helps you recharge:  reading, going for a walk, talking with friends and family, a hobby? Create time for whatever recharges you so you can lead out of a full cup.

Our leadership is like a glass of water and we need to refill it. What refills our glass is different for every leader.  Personally, I take time each morning to read, journal, and exercise.  These help me get my mind right and recharge me.  Figure out what recharges you and block out that time every day in your schedule.

Set Boundaries

“You need to realize how much time and energy you have, and manage your work accordingly….know your limits and enforce them.”

Dr. Henry Cloud and John Townsend

You may feel as a leader you must be on 24/7, but that is not realistic.  Setting boundaries is essential for your mental and emotional well-being.  Boundaries are like the fence on a playground.  Kids know they can go anywhere inside that fence, but not beyond it.  As a leader create boundaries around communication expectations and responsibilities that you will take on.  For example, communicate your availability to your team and let them know when you are off the clock.

Take a moment and ask yourself:  what is it that only I can do?  This question will help you get clear on what is essential for you to say yes to and the rest you can learn how to share the load with others.  Say “no” to what you should not be doing so you can thrive in what you say “yes” to. Setting and respecting your boundaries prevents burnout and shows your team the importance of work-life balance.

Move

I am a little biased here since I spent years in sports performance. Your physical well-being has a direct impact on your performance as a leader. Make time for regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet. Carve out time for a workout, prioritize getting enough sleep each night, and fuel your body with nutritious foods. When you take care of your physical health, you’ll have more energy, improved focus, and a better ability to handle the stress that comes with leadership.

I get it, leading ourselves can be harder than leading others. . . at least for me.  As you look at this list, which area do you need to focus on over the next few weeks?  Tell someone about this action step and start growing in that area.  We are the limiter of our leadership.  As we lead ourselves better, we will be even more effective leading others.  Need help thinking into your leadership?  Go here to evaluate your leadership in four key areas.  Lead well.

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