By Judi Light Hopson
Tribune News Service
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Judi Light Hopson, author of the stress management book, “Cooling Stress Tips” explains why it is so critical to take good care of yourself so that you have the strength to lead others forward.
Tribune
Most of us serve in a leadership role at one time or another. We might be a leader in our family, at work, or in the community.
So, have you stopped to review the best way to lead? Most of us know we must be good servants in our role. But, first and foremost, do you realize how critical it is to take good care of yourself?
“I’ve been working way too many hours because of our national pandemic,” says a hospital executive we’ll call Connie. “I’m jacking myself up with large cups of coffee every few hours. Sooner or later, I’m going to crash.”
Connie is right. Pushing yourself does work for a while. But if you’re over a team of people, your worry about letting others down is competing with your sense of self-preservation.
These tips can help you get a handle on everything:
-Practice focusing your attention. Even if you focus for only five minutes at a time, try not to jump back and forth between tasks. Under stress, most of us tend to let our minds go in several directions. We worry more than we work.
-Make good decisions and speak up. This takes practice. Verbalize what you see as the correct path forward to employees or family members. Do say, “I need you to make these calls within the hour.” Or say, “Let’s get this laundry done, so we won’t have to worry about it for a few days.”
-Visualize how to guard the emotions of others. Keeping them calm will actually help you in the long run. Let others know they need to take a break or grab lunch. Help those around you stay calm by using encouraging language.
“On days I deliberately try to focus, the day seems to run more smoothly,” says a nurse practitioner we’ll call Paula. “At work, I’m usually fine. But my off days on the weekends get stressful. I used to never make demands on my husband or kids, trying to be Superwoman. But lately, I’ve changed.”
Paula says she dictates small tasks to her husband and three kids on Saturdays and Sundays. She gives them each a list of three 10-minutes chores a day. This amounts to at least four hours of weekend help she used to forfeit. So far, no one has complained.
“To be a leader, you want your family or your work team to trust you,” Paula emphasizes. I promise that people will trust you more, and be very grateful for your leadership, if you can envision what needs to be done.”
Good leaders watch what’s going on with people around them. Don’t wall yourself off from co-workers or extended family members. See if there are small tasks you can do to help them.
“I’ve been ordering extra groceries for my older family members during this coronavirus pandemic,” says a dentist we’ll call Eric. “When I buy canned goods or paper items, I get a few extra items to store in our pantry.
Some of my older relatives in their 80s live near me. They cannot use a computer to order online. I’m taking the lead by looking at the needs of everyone in my circle.”
A teacher we’ll call Tracey says she’s using her leadership skills to help her students online and their parents.
“I’m posting recipes and menus for quick nutritious meals,” says Tracey. “I remind them to exercise, too. I like to inspire people.”
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(Judi Light Hopson is author of the stress management book, “Cooling Stress Tips.” She is also executive director of USA Wellness Cafe at www.usawellnesscafe.org)
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Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
