It may be cliché to hear this and maybe a tad triggering to all the oldest children out there who’ve been told this all their lives (…. It’s not just me right?!) but it really is the simplest way to put it – you’ve got to lead by example!

So, what does this mean? Well in short it means that if you are a leader in the workplace with a team, those you lead are watching you for an example of what is expected of them, how to handle situations, and also how to lead or interact with clients.

If you work crazy hours, with little selfcare and boundaries you are telling your team (not so blatantly) that this is what you expect of them. For example, if you never take a lunch, fresh air break or vacation time you are setting the tone for your team that these things are not necessary and they shouldn’t take them either. This type of culture often results in employee and leader burnout, resentment, and resignation.

As someone who has been led by a leader like this – I know how frustrating it can be. I recall taking vacation only to come back to piles and piles of more work (my punishment for being away), meetings set over my lunch break, emails sent to me at 2am, even work assigned to me while on my way to my high-risk pregnancy appointments. Well…. I too left that leader but not after gaining some very valuable lessons on how not to lead.

As a leader in my business and with my clients I now know that prioritizing my selfcare and setting clear boundaries is the best way I can lead my team.

Prioritizing selfcare:

Bottom line, you cannot be an effective leader if you are not taking care of yourself. Sure, you may be able to work crazy hours, do it all, live on coffee alone for a short time but even you will eventually burnout, crash, crumble and suffer and the fall may just set you back even further.

Arianna Huffington’s book “Sleep Revolution” was a huge awakening (pun intended) for me on just how much quality sleep we need and its benefits to our overall health and lives. The great news about sleep is, is that it can also help you excel professionally too – allowing for more focus, creativity, problem solving, etc. You are not too important to get sleep – and yes, you do need it! So does your team – why not create a sleep challenge and encourage your team to get that recommended 7 – 8 hours of quality sleep every night!

In conjunction with sleep another priority for me is my nutrition and what I’m putting into my body. Too many of us “forget” to eat because we are “busy” at work, or we eat garbage on the run. Then we get the classic case of hangry and our brain and body go into survival mode. I recommend using your calendar to carve out time throughout your day to prioritize healthy eating and drinking water. It’s a great reason to step away from your screen to reset and nourish your body. Consider building time for teams to eat together – make it a ritual – or commit to no meetings over the lunchtime to ensure your team has the opportunity to fuel themselves too.

Finally, move your body – regular exercise can help boost your mood and reduce stress. When we exercise, we release dopamine and endorphins in our brains that naturally make us happy. I find, like sleep, it enhances my ability to focus, be positive, problem solve and be more creative! Consider a fun movement challenge or accountability group for you and your team to prioritize this together.

Energy leaks and boundaries

Recognizing where my energy leaks were in my business (being available all the time for my clients and team and responding to every email as soon as they arrived) and then establishing boundaries was a game-changer for me as a leader. I started by setting my own boundaries on the hours I would work, when I’d be available for client meetings, and answering emails. This has reignited my passion for my business. Now, I also like a bit of flexibility in life, so for me I sometimes set time aside in the evenings or on weekends (when I choose) to answer emails or get ahead for the week – but I always delay delivery my emails, so my clients and team are not getting emails from me outside of our established work hours as I’m super aware on how this will make my team feel.

When on vacation I do not answer emails – I give clients the opportunity to deal with a team member or wait until my return. And importantly I respect my team’s boundaries as well – delaying those emails and waiting until they are back from vacation before assigning new tasks.

I also don’t take on everything myself – I remind myself often that I have a team and they want to help. By holding my boundaries on what work I do vs. what I can delegate to them has helped me grow my business, empower my team, and reduced my stress.

Leaders you do not need to be martyrs. By prioritizing your selfcare you can show up stronger, more present for your team, clients, and business. AND you are more likely to encourage selfcare among your team, demonstrating your commitment to them. It is a winning situation all around, but it must start with you – you must lead by example!

Lead By Example

Prioritizing selfcare:

Energy leaks and boundaries

Oxygen First

Lead By Example

Prioritizing selfcare:

Energy leaks and boundaries

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Oxygen First