You’re a global manager who’s constantly on the go. How can you find time for self-care?

As a global manager on the move, prioritize self-care by scheduling time for it like any other important task. Use travel time for relaxation or reflection. Delegate tasks to free up time, set clear boundaries between work and personal life, and stay active. Practice mindfulness, get enough sleep, maintain social connections, eat well, and seek support when needed. These actions can help you stay balanced and effective in your role.

There is a saying until today which goes "Your lack of planning is not my emergency". As global leaders, I cant change the world but can only lead by example. In life, the input is less important than the output, thus working smart out-trumps working hard. Quality outbeats quantity. Perfection loses to time for connection. As the younger wave of generation emerge, the older generation can still hold onto the grip of last minute urgency, but if it doesnt deliver extra real hard cash to the company for working panickingly, leaders need to start adjusting to the real world being employee centric because they are the asset, and not urgency. Everthing can be planned for those who are really experienced :)

Treat self-care as a non-negotiable appointment. Block off time in your calendar for activities like exercise, meditation, or hobbies. Set specific times each day or week for self-care routines. This could be early mornings before meetings or evenings after work.

Als Unternehmer habe ich gelernt, die Kunst der bewussten Wahrnehmung zu sch?tzen. Selbst in der g??ten Hektik finde ich Momente der Ruhe. Ich beginne meinen Tag, indem ich mir Zeit nehme, meinen Kaffee am Morgen wirklich zu genie?en. Zwischendurch g?nne ich mir bewusst fünf Minuten, um durchzuatmen und meine Gedanken zu ordnen. Atemübungen sind dabei ein einfaches, aber kraftvolles Werkzeug, um Stress abzubauen. Nach jedem Meeting plane ich zehn Minuten ein, in denen ich bewusst nichts tue. Diese kurzen Pausen erm?glichen es mir, mich zu regenerieren und mit neuer Energie in die n?chste Aufgabe zu starten. Diese Praktiken der Selbstfürsorge sind für mich essenziell.

As a global leader for 24+ years, I have learnt that prioritizing self-care is essential for your well-being and long-term success. I wrote a book #ownyourcolor that offers proven M.E.N.T.O.R tool for daily and long-term success for you as a leader. Top 8 Recommendations: 1. Schedule Time: Block out self-care slots in your calendar. ??? 2. Set Boundaries: Communicate work-life balance rules to your team. ???? 3. Delegate: Trust your team to handle tasks. ???? 4. Prioritize: Focus on important tasks. ??? 5. Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate meditation or walks. ??♂??? 6. Use Tech: Streamline communication and tasks. ???? 7. Outsource: Consider virtual assistance or automation. ???? 8. Manage Expectations: Say no when necessary. ????

When you travel out to different country time really plays tricky part. You will not be able to have proper connectivity due to different time zone. you will be at the work that time will be your family time or time with you team or friends. So my suggestion is fixed your break time during your visit and spend time to connect with your family, team and friends, whatever technology we have when we are not able to connect at right time all your efforts will be waste.

Using technology to connect with your team and network can significantly reduce feelings of isolation. Engaging in online communities provides a platform to share experiences and learn from others facing similar challenges, ultimately enriching both your professional and personal life. It's important to remember that seeking and offering support is a powerful form of self-care that keeps you grounded and integrated regardless of your location or work demands.

Be flexible, BUT up to a certain level. Of course some partners will try to have hour long dinners... you have to be able to say NO, at ac ertin hour I will call my family and at acertain hour I will be in bed.

Learning never ends, no matter which position you reach you must be always ready to learn new things. You must talk less and listen more this will help you to be adaptable and flexible in any place. you can easily understand their language, culture, expectation, etc., then you add your perspective to their thoughts to improvise and impress them.

Maintain connections with friends and family, even when you're on the road. Virtual communication platforms allow you to stay in touch and provide emotional support, contributing to your overall well-being.

Take breks and plan your day so you get 7h of sleep. Never underestimate the toll that hidden fatigue takes on your mental ability. Learn to sleep when commuting, taking the taxi or airplane.

Break is must needed to everyone especially to global manager, as you are already in different zone/place your body will need some time to adapt to that place, likewise break will help your mind to adapt to that place and situation. This will help you to take faster and better decision.

Regularly evaluate your schedule and commitments. If you find that your workload is consistently overwhelming, reassess priorities and make adjustments to ensure a better balance between work and self-care.

Self assessment is always needed, you must understand your strength and areas of improvements and make more efforts to fix your areas of improvements, this will make you grow much better. You cant change everything at a time but keep one step a day and consistently follow the same and you will see the changes. Consistency is the key.

Plan your personal time, not only one day but weeks and months at a time. That will give you some breathing space. Put meeting invites for lunch and small breaks. That should cover your personal time of 30 to 45 mins a day max. Do walking meetings if you don’t have to present something and if you are in office. Take small 5 mins break every 55 mins to walk be get a glass of water or coffee if you are a coffee/Tea person ?? Still there would be some days where you have to be on back to back. But that’s part and parcel of your selected job. But time management is in your hand always ??

Have the TEAM abide to the same rules as you do, control that they are taking care of themselves and their family. Warn them on the company policy concerning drugs and alcohol, some clients are experts at organizing late parties the day before the final negotiation.

Love what you do and do what you love, and do not pack the schedule to the brim. Sometimes there’s a need for chance encounters to happen and spark innovation.

Weave in your small, personal interests as rewards during commute, in between meetings and/or at evenings, e.g.: - buy yourself a good meal at the airport - take a nap/doodle during the flight (usually I work though and then reward myself with icecream/movie) - do a quick shopping but limit it to 20-30min - jump into the tub or get a full-body massage after work - talk to your family members between meetings or during lunch - think of what attracts you at the place and plan for a separate trip for leisure next time - ask your local clietns/peers good places to go Overall...it means better time and task management and it is still possible to have some me-time.