15 Wellbeing Tips For Leaders

Sometimes we get so caught up in our workload and competing demands that we forget about our own health and wellbeing.

We’ve all been there, where we put ourselves on the backburner, spend all our time working on things for others and putting their needs first. Whether it’s family, our teams, work, or a general inability to say no when it comes to helping others, there are times when we need to take stock and look after ourselves. It might be saying no to adding another job to an already overflowing plate, delegating a task to someone else, asking for help or just taking some time out to regroup. It’s important for us to have self-awareness and act appropriately in this space. It may be having ten minutes of down time, exercising, listening to music, meditating or working on a list of priorities. We need to take stock to make sure we’re not taking on too much to do anything well.

We’ve all had those times when we’ve been looking at things and can’t spot an obvious error as we’re just too exhausted. Or we’re participating in a conversation and we’re listening, but we’re not hearing what the other person is saying. Whether we have too much on, our minds are racing, we have brain fog, or we’re simply battling through when we really shouldn’t be… Our own health directly impacts our contribution and the level of service we provide. As leaders and mentors, members of our workplace, our community and our family, we owe it to ourselves and to others to show up in a way where we’re truly present and provide value to those we choose to interact with.

It’s critical to be clear on the importance of your health and the need to prioritize it. Recognise that we have health needs in three main categories which contribute to our overall wellbeing. They are:

• Physical – sleep, exercise & diet

• Mental – learning, mental stimulation & exercising critical thinking

• Emotional/Spiritual – aligning with your life’s purpose

Knowledge is nice but it’s action that creates change. Fifteen top tips that can be helpful to consider when looking after our own wellbeing include:

1. Create strategies to manage multiple demands – overwhelm will stop you in your tracks

2. Take time for ourselves – regularly, it’s not about doing it once and ticking it off the list, this is something we need to continually do to maintain our own wellness

3. Don’t internalise others’ issues – this is really important for empathetic leaders as by nature we are predisposed to going that extra step to help others

4. Be aware that we can’t see our own blind spots

5. Be aware of personal triggers from our past experience & consider if there are things we haven’t dealt with that affect how we respond to others

6. Know your gremlins will always be there so learn to manage them, knowing that trauma can heal and lead to growth

7. Have your own support system/structure – build a strong network

8. Know you’re never the only one thinking or wondering about something – harness the power of community

9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

10. Instead of fearing a disaster, picture yourself coping with it

11. Exercise gratitude – choose the outlook you desire

12. Be aware of your energy and that it’s contagious

13. Know also that your stress & mental health is transferrable

14. Remember that you can’t solve a problem with the same mindset that created it

15. If you want to be world class, you need to be a world class human first

Great leadership is not just about creating a sense of belonging for those in our immediate team, it’s about creating that for the entire stakeholder group. Reality is personal so we all see and understand things differently, through our own lense. The consideration of broader stakeholder perspectives is integral to success and the creation of a positive environment that supports the health and wellbeing of your community.

We’re often told to exhibit kindness towards others but don’t forget to be kind to yourself as well! We all have times where we perform better, or not as well as we could have; times when we’re full of energy or sometimes we’re just tired – understand we don’t operate at our peak one hundred percent of the time and be kind to yourself when you may not be as “on” as normal. Give yourself the grace you’d afford to others, but remain accountable.

It’s important to be reliable – keep our word, do what we say, walk the talk and be trustworthy. Regularly check in on colleagues and ask them how they are. Know that we all need & deserve to be coached – in various aspects of our lives, so think about the important role that you play and the impact you have, which may be far greater than the specific skills you are responsible for.

Most importantly, ask how can you tune into others and be of service to them, if you aren’t tuned into yourself? As they said when we used to fly regularly, you need to fit your own oxygen mask first in order to be able to help others.