Self-Care is no joke

Ike learned a few lessons about self-care.

We live in interesting times.  The economy for working people is a mess.  A pandemic is making it impossible for schools and businesses to operate in a typical fashion.  Finally, the social isolation necessary to fight the disease creates a feeling of anxiety and alienation.  Combine the above with the responsibilities of work and family, and you have a recipe for disillusionment.  I am aware of the privilege I have working from home and providing value to my customers remotely.  It is still challenging to maintain the energy and focus I need to get through the day. Exciting times are exhausting times.  Today on the blog, I would like to take about self-care.  

Servant leadership is difficult.  It ties up your energy and focus because you concentrate your time on others.  A leader can easily ignore their own needs and effectiveness.  Eventually, you fall into a cycle of failure as your body forces you to rest.  Eisenhower was famous for his chain-smoking and bouts of insomnia.  Napoleon struggled with hemorrhoids and gout.  The number of bankers who abused cocaine is too long to mention.  The physical ailments and addictions are a symptom of not taking care of your health. 

We spend time talking about success and accomplishment.  We often do not discuss the price people pay.  A leader is only as good as they are physically able to do the job.  Thus, it is crucial to take care of yourself because people are counting on you to be in the moment when they need you.  I am conscious of the reality that I have the privilege of taking care of myself.  I set my work schedule instead of having someone else do it for me.  I can work from home instead of at a factory, field, or construction site.   Compared with many workers, I have much more control over my day to day activities.  It means taking care of yourself is often a luxury that other people do not possess.  People with this privilege need to avoid squandering this benefit because others count on us to lead when times are tough.  

So here are a few things leaders can do to maintain health and improve their leadership.  The first practice all leaders should indulge in is getting sleep.  The global nature of the economy and the needs of off-shore business units means we need to sleep.  Software teams can be half a world away, and it means disrupted sleep schedules and plenty of early mornings.  I recommend seven to nine hours of sleep nightly.  When that is not possible, take naps so that your body does not do strange things.  According to doctors, a lack of sleep creates behavior patterns similar to drinking alcohol.  A sleep-deprived person has less judgment than a well-rested person, which makes the difference between success and failure.  

As for chemical substances, practice moderation, alcohol, nicotine, speed, and cannabis are legal and easily accessible.  Avoid using them because they can become addictive and act as a crutch during stressful times.  When I worked in advertising, I was staggered by the use of alcohol.  Most of the time, I ignored it, but often enough, someone would be drunk at an inconvenient moment, and disaster would follow.  Nothing is sadder than a middle-aged man slurring his speech during a sales presentation. 

Finally, detach from the office and expect others to do the same. It means not checking your e-mail over the weekend.  Do not bring your power supply home with you, so your laptop runs out of power.  It will prevent you from working long hours at home.  An e-mail in the middle of the night can wait until you get into the office.  We spend a third of our life working.  The other portion we spend sleeping.  Spend the remainder with family, friends, and loved ones.  Setting healthy boundaries is part of being a leader.  Playing with your children and taking a Saturday afternoon nap is a great way to recharge your mental batteries.  

The practice of self-care is not a luxury for leaders.  It is a necessity.  Get some sleep, avoid chemical substances, and detach from the office.  The people you serve will thank you. 

Until next time.