We often hear the following words when speaking with our clients. - I feel so overwhelmed.
- I don't know how much more I can give.
- How do I keep going at this pace?
These feelings are common to so many & the reality is that until we stop and look at our habits around self-care, it may not change. Often our self-care takes a back seat to the urgency of the day. What ultimately happens is that we become depleted and can not offer our highest contribution in any area, personally and professionally. Our work begins to suffer, our marriages & important relationships begin to suffer. There is no gain to the hustle.
Creating the habits necessary for self-care requires taking an introspective look at how we manage our time.
Stephen Covey talks about this in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" & through the lens of time management, we can build in the necessary elements for self-care.
The principle of building time around the important things, your “big rocks” can be the first step towards self-care. Ask yourself the following…
- Do I schedule blocks of time for working out, prayer or meditation?
- Do I schedule blocks of time for relationship building?
- Do I schedule blocks of time for reading or personal growth?
- How much time weekly do I spend planning for my week ahead?
If you have started this practice, great! Now answer this question…do you hit snooze when it is time to do these things?
If the answer is “yes” then it is time to regroup and make a list of what is important vs. urgent. Once you have your list, recommit your time blocks to the important. Doing this will help you begin the journey to the all-important self-care you need as a leader.
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