Take Control: The Power of Planned Breaks for Sustained Success(YGT??57)

Hello and happy Sunday,

Welcome to another. YOU GOT THIS! Newsletter.

I hope you are feeling well and can enjoy a lovely mix of summer vibrancy and relaxation. I'm delighted that you've taken the time to read these lines and give yourself and your career a moment of focused attention.

In today’s edition of my newsletter, I′ll write about these three topics:

?? My latest learning: My favorite professional memories

?? Career Inspiration: Take a holiday - it's only effective when planned

?? Female Leadership: What kind of leadership do you want to stand for?

Would you like to write to me? Hit reply or send me a DM.

I am always happy to receive feedback, suggestions for improvement and ideas for new newsletters. What would you like to read about here?

On that note, have a nice week, preferably with blue skies and sunshine!

Stay courageous!

Best Regards, Katharina

?? My latest learning: My favorite professional memories

When I think of my favorite professional experiences, I can think of three aspects that make them particularly special:

Challenge: The work I enjoyed the most was always characterized by a certain level of challenge. I love solving complex issues and problems.

Creativity: My favorite professional experiences have always offered room for creativity. I could let off steam: linguistically, conceptually or solution orientated.

Meaningfulness: I created value for others with my work, which I myself and others were able to recognize.

Today, I make sure that these aspects are part of my daily work.

And through my coaching business, I have built up another mainstay to work in FLOW and share my journey.

What are your favorite professional memories and what do they have in common?

?? Career Inspiration: Take a holiday - it's only effective when planned

Today I would like to talk to you about something that we tend to neglect in the name of productivity: Time off and regular holidays.? Why is that the case?

The most active among us in particular have the feeling that they always have to work when they are awake. For them, anything else is laziness. Or they believe they can simply achieve more for their business in their free time. That certainly works for a while.

Just like you can easily put up with night shifts with a baby for a few months. But if the little one is still calling every night at the age of one, it becomes critical. You sneak up to your desk in the morning, overtired and guaranteed to make more mistakes than usual.

If your baby is a startup, it makes no difference. This is what it looks like: Sufficient free time and regularly scheduled downtime are essential for your personal well-being and therefore also for your long-term productivity.

Here are my four most important reasons why you should treat yourself to regular time off and scheduled holidays:

Mental regeneration When you are concentrating on your work and solving problems, your brain is working at full speed. Regular breaks and holidays allow it to recover and recharge its batteries. It then thanks you with improved creativity, problem-solving skills and increased mental performance.

No to burnout Constantly working without breaks can lead to burnout, a serious exhaustion that can affect your performance in the long term. By regularly taking time for yourself, you can reduce this risk and maintain your productivity in the long term.

Change of perspective Taking time out or a holiday allows you to break away from your usual working environment.

A new environment, stimulating impressions (yes, even a VHS yoga course or a visit to a museum can do that) can broaden your horizons. Allow yourself to gain new experiences and fresh perspectives. This can also help you to overcome creative blocks and develop new ideas for your work.

Reducing stress for your health Constant stress has a negative effect on your body and can lead to health problems. Small breaks in between are a help, but it is only during a longer holiday that you can really reduce stress and relax. And thus maintain your health - your most important asset.

Why am I harping on about ‘planned’ holidays? It makes a difference whether you spontaneously pull up stakes and head off to Brittany for a fortnight - and thinking every day that you should actually be working on your customer projects or your marketing. Or whether you reserve time in January to relax for a fortnight in a holiday home by the sea, go climbing in the Alps or simply retreat to your garden.

Planned time out is a conscious decision to relax and recharge your batteries. You reserve this time for yourself and prepare everything so that your business can also take a break (or run on its own).

This way, you can make the most of it without devaluing your holidays with a guilty conscience because you should actually be working now. Remember that you have earned this time and it will help you to maintain (and increase!) your productivity so that you can safely achieve your goals.

With this in mind, I'm also treating myself to a summer break in August to recharge my batteries and do nice things. ???? Here is a link to book a discovery session with me.

?? Female Leadership: What kind of leadership do you want to stand for?

Much of the sound advice about leadership can seem as if it comes from a fortune cookie—simple, obvious, and almost clichéd.

Be empathetic!

Trust your team!

Learn to let go!

While these mantras are catchy, real-life application often falters due to our impatience, perfectionism, or ingrained childhood habits.

Breaking these habits and cultivating interpersonal skills requires effort. To become more empathetic, one must first connect with their own emotions and doubts. Effective leadership goes beyond logical understanding; it demands personal growth.

Is this effort worthwhile? Reflect for a moment: Have you ever evolved as an individual without facing inner challenges? You might question the value of this effort, particularly as many boards are currently favoring cost-cutters who can manage quickly and quietly. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that empathy and transformational leadership are not mere trends. Leading with empathy can be more demanding but ultimately yields greater effectiveness.

Fostering cooperation and self-awareness is unattainable without personal growth and empathy. Significant changes often progress like a sewing machine needle: a few steps forward, then a few back. It's up to us to decide whether we move forward or backward. I have made my choice.

What's the situation in your organization? Is there a shift towards greater efficiency at the expense of empathy? I am interested to hear from you.

Also, how are your leadership skills? Do they reflect the leader you aspire to be? And how can you be sure?

I am happy to help you with these questions with my Leadership Compass. ????Here is a link to book a discovery session with me.

??Change starts with you

Nothing will change unless you change something! It's up to you!

The alternative: Keep doing what you're doing...

I wish you a great week; enjoy life, and remember to SHOW UP!

If you say what you want, you increase the chance of being heard! ??

Have a great day, and remember, it is the one who gives up and does not reach success.

And now I wish you all the best and talk soon!

Best Regards, Katharina

??How you can work with me:

Leadership Training: In my course MOVE UP! You can recognize and strengthen your leadership. Join the course ??here .

Amazing Career Coaching: Join the 16-week 1:1 AMAZING CAREER coaching program. Please reply to this mail that you want to join or book a call with me ?? here to learn more.

Not getting anywhere on your own? Then why not book a free virtual coffee break ?? with me, and we'll find out whether and how I can help you further. ???? Here is a link to book a discovery session with me

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PS: This newsletter is written by a human. English is not my native language. So,?I'll make mistakes. And tech bugs ?? crawl in?once in a while.?So, if you see any of these, please let me know. I′m always happy to improve!