Highly effective leaders see the value of self-care as a basis for their performance and wellbeing.
There is a wealth of literature and articles on this subject, many of which emphasise things such as healthy food, proper sleep, and regular exercise, all of which are wonderful habits to cultivate.
However, insufficient attention is paid to ‘in-office’ practices that positively contribute to self-care, which compound over time and may make a huge impact on a person's quality of life, job success, and happiness, according to a leadership expert.
The general manager at The Independent Institute of Education, Peter Kriel, said that most people are fatigued as the end of the year approaches, and the Christmas break cannot arrive soon enough.
“But 2024 and a fresh year of work are not far behind the break, so this is the time to think about implementing in-office practices that will ensure you maintain your energy and can give your work and personal life your all in the new year,” said Kriel.
He went on to say that while it is critical to develop habits that promote mental and physical wellbeing outside of work, the eight hours or more of our workday should also be utilised to maintain optimal and continued wellbeing and avoid burnout.
Kriel offered these habits to take care of yourself while on the job:
Effective time management
To avoid burnout and maintain a good work-life balance, successful leaders frequently adopt time management tactics such as prioritising activities, setting limits, and delegating.
Procrastination is the primary adversary of excellent time management practices, and it eventually contributes to stress levels.
If you recognise yourself as a procrastinator, pledge to discover what is underlying your procrastination and deal with it as a present to yourself in 2024.
Continual learning and self-development
Learning and personal development are essential for success. To stay current and adapt to changing surroundings, successful leaders frequently engage in lifelong learning by reading, attending seminars, taking courses, or seeking mentoring.
Not keeping up with developments, new technologies, and other changing aspects of the business world may not appear to have an impact on self-care, but it does, because you are less likely to feel stuck in a rut, and your skills will remain relevant in a highly competitive work environment, reducing stress and concern about job security.
Regular mental and physical breaks
Choosing little pauses during the day might assist to refresh the mind and prevent burnout. Use these downtimes to reflect and refocus.
Not intentionally planning and implementing such breaks will increase stress and affect productivity, which will have a detrimental influence on self-care.
Effective stress management
Stress-reduction practices such as deep breathing and journalling might be beneficial.
Many less visible approaches, on the other hand, will aid in good stress management in the workplace.
Making a to-do list and prioritising chores is the first step, but breaking things down into smaller portions can help lessen feelings of overload and tension.
Setting boundaries
Setting limits is more than just keeping a good balance between work and personal life.
Creating clear boundaries between work and personal life is important, but so are intra-business limits.
To lessen workplace pressures, learn to be assertive by properly articulating your requirements and limits and to say no when required, to avoid overcommitting.
Reflection and goal-setting
Regular self-reflection and goal-setting help us keep focused on long-term goals and stay connected with our values and priorities.
Being swept up by the business of each day, on the other hand, soon leads to feelings of being out of control of your life and job.
The ability to assess your performance against the goals you establish will not only uncover gaps that will help you focus, but it will also generate a sense of accomplishment when goals are reached.
Both of these factors will considerably aid your self-care efforts.
IOL