Well-Being: Knowing Your Superpowers & Nemeses

Recently, I used a Super Powers vs. Nemesis framework to spark a conversation about work-life balance and well-being with one of our teams. The goal was to identify strengths we can share and weaknesses where we can support each other, and the exercise inspired me to reflect on and share my own here.

This is what that looks like for me.

Hopefully, it inspires you to think about and discuss yours with the people you share your life and work with.

SUPERPOWERS

These are my well-being strengths—areas where I believe I’m doing well.

1. Morning Routine

I’m intentional about not touching work until after my morning routine. For the past two years, I’ve been following the Wim Hof Method, starting my day with breathing exercises followed by a cold shower. These two simple habits have done me a world of good.

2. Boundaries and No Phone Notifications

I establish clear expectations of when I’m available and when I’m not. In general, when I’m off, I’m off, and people know that. They also know how to reach me in an emergency, which makes it much easier for me to stay away from regular work channels without stressing about what might be going wrong in my absence.

3. My People

During our group discussion, it was interesting to note how almost everyone mentioned people as one of their Super Powers, be it children, a partner, friends. I’m no exception. My partner and daughter are a huge part of my support system.

4. Exercise

Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining my energy levels and mental clarity. Though I know I could be doing more, I recognize that a long-standing habit of going to the gym and/or doing yoga a few times a week is one of my well-being superpowers.

Exercise was also frequently mentioned by the team. Be it a light activity like going for a walk, or a sport of choice, you don’t have to be a gym rat to enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity.

5. Sleep

Because sleep doesn’t come easily to me, it’s forced me to prioritize building good sleep habits. I know many in the entrepreneurial and startup world function on very little sleep, but I’ve acknowledged that I just can't. As a morning person, my mind isn’t nearly as sharp in the evenings, so I almost never work late. I value my sleep and protect the time directly before and after it, which I believe is one of my productivity superpowers.

Speaking of not working at night, I just happened to be drafting this at 3 am. Everything in moderation, including moderation! Remember, work-life harmony is ours to define. Focus on what energizes and inspires you, not just on following a set of rules.

FIGHTING MY NEMESES

These are the assailants I need to fight off.

1. Physical Aches

I continue to struggle with back, shoulder, and neck aches. To mitigate this, I use a standing desk for half the workday. My trick is to set it up the day before so I automatically start work standing in the morning. I also try to have walking meetings and spend part of my workday away from the desk and screens.

2. Eye Strain

I’ve had bad eyesight since I was young and a few years ago I started getting migraines from too much screen time. To combat this, I’m now using heavy-duty blue light filter glasses (Gunnar Amber Max, in case you’re interested) and trying to practice the 20/20/20 habit: every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.?

The glasses are easy—I just have to put them on. But taking an eye break every 20 minutes is more challenging. Recently, I’ve been trying the 20/20/20 feature in a Chrome extension called BrainBreak.

3. Caffeine and Alcohol

Funny as the meme is, it sure isn't healthy.

But it's all too easy for me to go from a coffee-fueled workday to evening relaxation with a glass of wine or a beer. I’ve had success breaking this habit by replacing alcohol with herbal tea. I found the free trial of James Clear’s Atoms app to be an especially powerful tool for actualizing this habit change.?

A Note on Investments: The money you invest in your work-life well-being pays you back immensely. As a frugal Dutch person, I’m usually slow to spend money, but I know the standing desk setup (€300), blue light filter glasses (€50), gym subscription (€23/month), and Wim Hof app (€40/year) are some of my most worthwhile expenses.

Your Call to Action

For every well-being nemesis, there’s a tool to fight it, and peer accountability is often the most powerful of all. So share yours with a partner, friend, or colleague and ask them to help hold you accountable.

Mental health doesn't end in May. As the hero in your well-being story, know your strengths and what you're fighting against. Then find the weapon—be it an item from the store, a new strategy, or a change in your environment—that gives you the power-up you need.

And of course, like any successful main character, draw strength from those fighting alongside you. Reach out to colleagues or friends for advice, encouragement, and accountability. Then offer the same in return.?

By sharing superpowers and nemeses, teams can help each other win at work and in well-being.

Why not add this as a topic in your next meeting?