Why Leaders Need Self-Care

Leadership can be a challenging and demanding role that often requires long hours, hard work, and high levels of responsibility. As leaders, we often prioritize the needs of our teams and organizations over our own needs, neglecting our physical, mental, and emotional health in the process. However, pushing aside self-care can have negative consequences on our ability to lead effectively.

Being a leader means that you have to think about yourself, too. Just like on an airplane, where you have to put the mask on yourself in the case of an emergency before you help your neighbor, the same is true for self-care. You can't pour from an empty glass!

Self-care is essential for maintaining our physical and mental health, and is crucial to model to our teams. Keep reading to learn more about the impact of stress, strategies for prioritizing self-care and implementing it into your workplace.

The Impact of Stress on Leaders

We all have stress, but leaders often deal with chronic stress, which can persist for weeks and months at a time. As expected, it can have a significant impact on both physical and emotional health. 

When it comes to the body, long-term stress can cause a lack of energy, muscle weakness, difficulty concentrating, tension headaches, digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, and acid reflux, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system making someone susceptible to infections, illnesses, and diseases. In a nutshell: chronic stress wreaks havoc on the body.

It also effects emotional health and can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia and in some cases, substance abuse in the form of drugs or alcohol in an effort to cope.

A leader may not be showing obvious signs that they are suffering from any of these side effects of stress. Instead, they could be more irritable and short-tempered than usual, experience mood swings and difficulty managing their emotions, have decreased productivity motivation, focus and concentration, feel overwhelmed and burned out. Stress impacts everyone differently, but the important part is acknowledging it and taking steps to manage stress levels to minimize its negative effects.

Self-Care Strategies for Leaders

Self-care is essential for leaders to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health, which is necessary for effective leadership. Taking time for yourself does not mean you have to spend a weekend away on a retreat or other costly services. It can be as simple as prioritizing your sleep and exercise!

Leaders should aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night to ensure they are well-rested and refreshed and exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, whether that be through a workout class, walking, or a sport they enjoy.

Taking breaks throughout the day can help leaders recharge and reduce stress levels. Whether it be a short walk outside or a quick meditation session, taking time away from work can improve productivity and mental clarity. The same goes for using all that PTO time you've saved up. It's there for a reason: to give you balance and a break from the demanding mental role of a leader!

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing, can also help reduce stress and improve mental clarity. Leaders should consider incorporating mindfulness practices into their daily routine to help both their personal and professional lives.

Leaders can benefit from connecting with colleagues, friends, or family members to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Scheduling regular social time can provide an outlet for stress and improve mood.

And finally, health eating habits can go a long way when it comes to self-care. When you choose nutritious food and drink to fuel your body, you're able to reap the benefits like energy, stamina and mental clarity–all things that make handling stress much easier!

Implementing Self-Care in the Workplace

Self-care is essential for maintaining our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and it's especially important in the workplace, where we spend a significant amount of time. When you implement self-care in the workplace, you're working towards a more holistic version of you! While you most likely can't pause for daily yoga sessions in your office, there are other things you can do to bring self-care both into your own workspace, but to your staff as well.

To start, organize your workload in a way that prioritizes the most important and urgent tasks first. This helps reduce stress and anxiety and prevents you from feeling overwhelmed.

Take frequent breaks throughout the day, even if it's just for a few minutes. Stand up, stretch, and move around to avoid physical strain and mental fatigue.

Grab a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation. This can help reduce stress and improve focus.

Drinking enough water throughout the day is crucial for maintaining good physical health and cognitive function. Be sure you're also eating a healthy, balanced diet to maintaining energy levels and mental clarity. Avoid relying on sugary or processed foods, which can cause crashes in energy levels. Yes, it's time to stop skipping lunch and gorging on a handful of candy to keep yourself going!

When it comes to encouraging employees to prioritize self-care, allow them space to do all the things above. Provide resources for employees to manage stress, like benefits offered through your company such as therapy and someone they can talk to in HR, in addition to allotting them time for breaks, mindfulness and the like.

Remember that self-care is an ongoing practice that requires effort and attention. By implementing these strategies, you can create a healthier and more productive workplace environment for yourself and those around you.

Balancing Self-Care and Leadership Responsibilities

Integrating self-care into a busy schedule can be challenging, but it's crucial for maintaining physical, mental, and emotional well-being. You can start by just scheduling it! Treat self-care like any other important appointment and schedule it into your calendar. Set aside time for exercise, meditation, or other self-care activities, and prioritize that time.

If you're having a hard time fitting it in, break it up into smaller chunks throughout the day instead of trying to find one large block of time for self-care. For example, take a few minutes to stretch or do some deep breathing exercises in between meetings or tasks.

Still struggling? Choose self-care activities that you enjoy and look forward to, whether that's going for a run, taking a bubble bath, or reading a book. When self-care feels like a treat, it's easier to prioritize it in a busy schedule.

Be sure to set both internal and external boundaries when it comes to knowing your limits. Be ok with saying "no" and empower staff by delegating responsibilities that they are capable of handling.  

Finally, its ok to recognizing when it's time to ask for help. Sometimes, we need a little more than self-care, especially if stress is starting to impact our health and personal lives. Leaders know that asking for help actually makes them stronger, not weaker.

Conclusion

When it comes to managing long hours, employees and a demanding workload, making time for self-care is vital for leaders. Not only does it bring balance for leaders themselves, but it also serves as an example to employees that self-care for employees is important.

Whether you're a C-Suite executive or starting a brand new career, the time is now to prioritize your own self-care practice. Take a few minutes to write down what serves YOU best, then work to incorporate it into your own schedule. 

Do you need to see how you're doing when it comes to self-care? Take our free assessment! This exclusive Talent Magnet Institute Self Care Inventory has twenty-eight questions and will take less than 5 minutes of your time.