Over the last few months, I have worked with a number of clients that have been exhausted due to overwhelm. This has mostly been caused by them carrying out all their own tasks at home and at work and taking on other people’s tasks, because they don’t want to let others down.
Many of us don’t want to let others around us down, but this can be exhausting, and if we’re not careful, doing too much for too many people can really erode our own wellbeing. I sometimes have to remind clients (and myself) that we can’t support others if we are depleted ourselves. I think it’s useful to think of the metaphor of putting the air mask on yourself before dependents in an aircraft emergency. We need to ensure that we are healthy, both in mind and body, to carry out all the tasks we have in our different roles we have in our lives.
Therefore, we need to develop some strategies to keep our well-being and work-life balance in check. Here are some of my essentials:
Self-care: ensure that there is time every day for you to recharge your own batteries; whether this is soaking in the bath, reading, exercising, having quality time with a friend, being in the great outdoors.
Saying no - this is an essential one. We need to learn to recognise our own limits, and to prioritise tasks. It’s ok to say no to others when you can’t fit it in, or if there is someone else that could pick that up, or when the task can be postponed.
Delegate: As leaders, it is easy to fall into the trap of rescuing everyone around you, taking on all the tricky tasks, and mopping up everyone else’s problems. It is really important to avoid building a culture of dependency (both at work and at home). Wise leaders listen to other people’s challenges and advise them how they will solve these – but do not take them on themselves!
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