Chief Vision Officer and founder of Keystone Group International.
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When you board a flight, the safety video tells you that in the event of a pressure loss, oxygen masks fall from the compartment above your seat. But have you ever wondered why they say put on your own oxygen mask before helping others? It is because without oxygen we lose strength and concentration. In an emergency situation, we wouldn’t be able to help anyone because of this.
But how many of us, as leaders in our organizations, families and communities, choose to discard our oxygen masks in favor of others? Still, we wonder why we run out of steam by the end of the week, leaving little energy for ourselves or our family and friends.
At a recent leadership event my company hosted, an attendee made a comment that made many of us quit. “I hear what you have done for your employees and teams. But what do you do for yourself and other leaders in your organization, how do you take care of each other?”
I see many leaders working at a burnout level as they try to focus on being a conscious leader for their people. But if we don’t take care of ourselves – if we don’t get the oxygen we need – we can’t expect to be there for others as we should be. If you’re struggling to find this balance, here are three tips for prioritizing yourself.
1. Be your own CEO: Chief Energy Officer.
When you’re on the wrong side of burnout, one of the most important things is knowing what things energize you. Make a list of the things you are currently doing to manage your own energy. For example, do you take time each day to read for pleasure or do you have a go-to treat after a stressful week? Then think of activities to add to the list. They can be as small as reminding yourself to do a short deep breathing exercise during the day or as big as changing your morning routine to build in time for journaling or meditation. What’s important is determining what you build into your daily life that will help you manage your energy. This will ensure you are well charged and able to provide the guidance and support your team needs.
2. Do an energy inventory.
If you feel like you’ve been on the back burner for a while, I suggest you do an energy inventory. Take a mental inventory of your energy every day for a week. If you’re low on energy, write down what time it is and what’s happening at the time, such as who you hang out with or what kind of work you do. Do the same when your energy is high.
Documenting your highs and lows will give you a good sense of the things that consistently energize you or drain you. Once you have that perspective, you have the power to make choices that allow you to spend more time on the energy-producing tasks. You may even find that you can delegate some of the exhausting tasks, leaving room to focus on other things.
3. Take a real break.
For many leaders, this is easier said than done, especially since I don’t mean just squeezing 30 minutes between meetings or waiting until the weekend to have time off. That doesn’t create the right energy for creative thinking and problem solving. Taking a real break is being able to disconnect and create space for clarity and thinking. This ultimately benefits our teams and organizations as you have the energy to research current processes or generate new ideas that can improve efficiency and productivity. So be aware to distance yourself from work.
When we’re in the midst of burnout, we often forget that we have the power to choose how we spend our days. Building in time for whatever you enjoy can give you more energy, making sure you’re ready to fully engage in your work and life. So don’t feel guilty about putting on your own oxygen mask first. The most effective leaders know how important it is.
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