We are facing a perfect storm of factors that could impact very negatively on people at the top of organisations, and can easily trigger problems such as anxiety or depression, which are two of the most common mental health concerns in the UK.
Factor in external life concerns, whether it’s caring for elderly relatives, looking after children or balancing the demands of a family and a pivotal role in a busy financial advice firm, with the background of challenging economic times ahead, can be enough to overwhelm many.
It’s likely to be tough for your team members too, and as a leader, you can’t be expected to be equipped to guide them through the challenges ahead without taking charge of your own mental wellbeing first.
Here are some top tips on how you can start to focus on yourself, recharge, refocus and drive the change.
Check In
‘Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present in the moment’1.
If you immerse yourself fully in any given scenario, this will allow you the space to focus on the solution needed to resolve the challenge. When practicing mindfulness, you can deal with the task at hand more efficiently, and afterwards return to a normal state having reduced the emotional impact of the moment when you were focused on the challenge itself. This helps guard yourself from any negative impacts before they become an issue, and help you learnt o cope better in future situations too.
Ask for Help
The old adage ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ has never been truer. Reach out to your peers, whether friends or business associates and create a safe space to discuss the challenges you’re up against. Never be afraid to ask for help, it’s not a sign of weakness or ineptitude, and in fact helps you gain a fresh perspective – the very act of discussion allows you to think about the challenge in a new way.
Maintain Your Health
Mental wellbeing works in tandem with physical health, so it’s important to stay as healthy as you can to help benefit your business in the long run. Start by being disciplined to get the basics right – eating well, getting enough sleep, and keeping hydrated, to start feeling better about yourself. If you’re feeling out of shape, think about some small changes you can make to your lifestyle, whether it’s a short walk each day and monitor your progress to reap the rewards.
Celebrate Achievements
Most managers do a great job highlighting and rewarding their team’s successes, but rarely shout about their own. You’ll achieve a great deal in a short time, so be proud of what you’ve done. Showcase your successes, whether it’s leading your team through a complex project or a personal work victory, it will boost your own morale and self-esteem no end.
Take Regular Breaks
It’s easy to talk about taking a break, but often harder to do when you’re in the thick of it. The fact is though, regardless of how busy you are, by having an ‘always-on’ mentality, you are in danger of running yourself into the ground.
Many underestimate the importance of switching off briefly and taking a step back. It gives a chance for your mind to rest, and a chance for you to see the bigger picture. Often, that period of reflection will help you return to a task invigorated and sometimes with a fresh new angle to approach. Try and set a clean start and finish time each day, or allocate a set number of hours to a task, and stick rigidly to it.
Brush Up Your Skills
In between the flurry of work and homelife, its important to upskill your management and leadership style in the long term – over time you’ll find your approach to team management and leadership will change, and it’s always good to refresh your skills when you can to remain adaptable for overcoming challenges and remaining prepared for new ones on the horizon. Look out for online courses to help upskill or act as a refresher for courses you’ve previously attended.
Most of All – Have Fun
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” as the saying goes. Seek out hobbies and interests that excite and engage you, and stick at them. By fuelling your passion for outside-of-work interests, you remind yourself of who you are outside of your role.
Hobbies are a great booster for mental health, often adding an element of pleasure and stability into an otherwise challenging, stressful or varied lifestyle, they keep the mind going through the good and the bad times.
Source: Christine McDonald (2020) Mental Wellbeing for Leaders and Managers. Available at: https://www.management-issues.com/opinion/7393/mental-wellbeing-for-leaders-and-managers/ (Accessed 20th Jan 2022)
