Why resting is part of your work as a leader, too.
At your busiest times, making space for rest is even more critical.
In the last edition of Letter to Leaders, I wrote about the need for executives to take a long break, periodically, from their work to rest, reflect and recover.
What about the times when you can't do that?
In their 2017 article for Harvard Business Review, Justin Talbot-Zorn and Leigh Marz wrote about this.
You need to get beyond the noise and rest your mental reflexes.
Most of my C-suite clients tell me that while they know they need quiet time, it feels almost impossible.
Leaders often feel guilty about stopping for a break when their organisations are under pressure and their teams are flat out.
The risk is that guilt can spill over into your behaviour. You may be modelling some unfortunate patterns:
Working long hours
Not logging out
Sending after-hours emails
Attending back-to-back meetings
Avoiding good sleep
Drinking alcohol to attempt to soothe your mind
Eating food that won't nourish you or eating erratically
Not attending to your essential health checks
Walking away from your hobbies (if you actually had any)
And, yes, I confess to having done ALL of these at times in my career 🤔
The most worrying aspect of this strategy is that your team members might emulate your behaviour - and before long, everyone hits exhaustion - because that's what is being modelled by management.
So, what to do? Try these tips.
Punctuate your back-to-back meetings with five minutes of quiet time. Finish all your meetings five minutes before the scheduled time - or better still, schedule meetings for 25 or 45 minutes. Donna McGeorge has an excellent suite of books, and an essential read is The 25 Minute Meeting.
Move your body between meetings or work activities. Walk around the block. Lift some hand weights or play with the dog - whatever it takes to give you a quick burst of energy and dopamine.
Hydrate often - drink a glass of water every time you finish a meeting. I'm serious. Dehydration is a surefire way to feel tired and under-motivated. All those coffees aren't doing you any favours, either, sorry!
Tell your team about the things you are trying and how restful you find them - so you model different ways of working. Get the conversation going.
What will you add to the list that works for you?
When you can take more time, developing your mindfulness practice is helpful.
Select a practice that matches your preferences. It might be a walk, taking time in nature, in a quiet room, writing or drawing, or colouring.
One of my clients finds their best mindful moments in the garden when planting things. Another likes jigsaw puzzles. Whatever works.
Want to try a different type of mindful appreciation exercise? Watch this clip from Dr Amber Lyda about the ten-finger gratitude method.
How will you implement small changes into your day to allow yourself to rest?
