How Are You Prioritizing Your Own Well-Being?

Last week a client mentioned the concept of prioritizing her own well-being as we were working on presentation skills.  We spent the first 15 minutes talking about balance and well-being, and how presentations require a high level of energy.  As leaders, we have to recognize the source of our energy, and that it really takes something to “show up” genuinely in zoom, presentations, phone calls, and in person.

The pandemic has brought the importance of well-being to the forefront for many of us – and that awareness is actually a gift!  It’s certainly made me look at, “What’s really important?”  and “How do I fuel myself for the daily challenges I face?”

Well-being—How do you manage those days of non-stop zoom meetings, or the long hours because the work doesn’t stop, or having to negotiate different ways to problem solve, get information, and motivate your team?

Prioritizing our own well-being is a leadership principle.  It takes something to recharge ourselves and find balance in stressful days. What’s one thing you can do to prioritize your own well-being?

A few things I’ve learned for myself are:

1.    Go for a walk in the sun, in the morning and late afternoons, as much as possible.  Even if it’s a 10-minute walk with my tea, I find getting outside not only get my body moving, but I get to listen to myself and my knowing while enjoying the magic of sun on my skin.

2.    Break up the day with mini getaways.  These are 2-5 minute self-breaks that include reading a few pages of a juicy book, watching a fun video, answering a personal email, or just going away in your thoughts to a place or activity you thoroughly enjoy!  I listen to music while doing mundane tasks, or I get up and stretch-think, dance, or just move my body for a minute while I’m deciding on a step or a solution.  The brain really benefits from moments away from timelines and intense thinking.

3.    Take ordinary things and make them special.  I have koi fish in my backyard. Most days, I eat breakfast or lunch outside with my fish. That means I’m outside, fresh air on my skin, watching the fish (which I find extremely calming), and it takes the pleasure of eating to a new realm.  It also puts me in a very flexible mode, ready to adapt and be resourceful and enjoy the adventure of whatever comes next. 

4.    Focus on getting a good night sleep.  There are numerous studies being done right now on all the benefits of sleep.  It’s a foundational part of our well-being.  So much gets fixed, remedied, realigned and balanced in our mental, emotional and physical bodies.  I’ve been exploring temperature, soft blankets, the right pillow, what time to stop eating—the conditions that assist me to get deep, rich, luxurious, recharging sleep.  Aah, the power of the zzzzz’s!

5.    Make time for “passions.”  These are the activities that bring balance, happiness and inner strength.  They are not idle pass times; they are recharging generators that assist to keep energy high, passion ignited, and the heart open to keep learning.  When pressure increases, so should our passions!  I hike, dance, read juicy novels, watch movies, learn about deep space, and shop at Goodwill.

So, how about you -- how are YOU prioritizing your own well-being?