Recharge to Lead: The Undervalued Importance of Rest for Leaders

bare feet in sand at the waters edge

In a world that glorifies busyness, we often overlook the undervalued importance of rest – especially as leaders! Our society applauds the executives who burn the midnight oil, leaders who are always ‘on’, and the hard-chargers who sacrifice sleep for success. But did you know that the most effective leaders have a secret weapon? It’s rest – the antithesis of relentless hustle!

Last month I addressed the underlying burnout that is hitting everyone as we come down from the non-stop sprint through 3+ years of a global pandemic. And because we are so used to overworking in this culture anyway, it’s been hard to stop and be OK with the fact that it’s actually critical for leaders to incorporate rest.

Rest is not just the absence of work, it’s a fundamental human need, and a cornerstone for becoming a successful, balanced, and effective leader. It provides a powerful edge, allowing us to replenish our mental and emotional resources, regain focus, enhance creativity, and be more mindful in decision-making.

The Importance of Rest

When you skimp on rest, you deprive yourself of the energy and clarity needed to lead effectively. In contrast, ample rest heightens your cognitive functions, sharpens your decision-making skills, and boosts your emotional intelligence – all vital ingredients for effective leadership.

Consider this: Have you ever noticed that your best ideas often come when you’re not at work? Perhaps during a quiet morning coffee, a peaceful walk, or a rejuvenating weekend getaway. Are you nodding? It’s no coincidence. When you’re rested, your brain has a chance to wander and explore new possibilities. It has the bandwidth to think strategically and connect the dots that often get overlooked in the hustle of a regular workday.

How do you integrate rest into your leadership routine? Here are some practical strategies to consider:

Embrace Rest to Refuel

  1. Prioritize Quality Sleep: Sleep is a non-negotiable for restorative rest. Prioritize at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. Remember, it’s not wasted time, but an investment in your leadership potential.
  2. Intentional Downtime: Allow yourself time to unplug from work, enjoying a hobby, exploring nature, meditating, or simply doing nothing. These replenish your energy and enable you to return to your role with renewed vigor.
  3. Regular Vacations: Make it a priority to take regular vacations (even if it’s a day trip or a short weekend) where you can completely disengage from work. By stepping away from your usual environment, you allow your mind to relax, refresh, and open up to new perspectives.
  4. Mindful Breaks: Incorporate mindful breaks into your workday. Even short pauses can help reduce stress, maintain focus, and boost your overall performance.

Rest for Powerful Leadership

Rest isn’t a luxury or an indulgence—it’s a necessity for effective leadership. It’s about acknowledging your human need for rejuvenation and taking in the benefits laid out above can make you a better leader. It’s about realizing that, to lead others well, you must first take care of yourself. The New York Times recently featured Tricia Hershey, founder of the Nap Ministry, for having spent years preaching the gospel of rest and divesting from corporate and academic pressures, suggesting you refuse to run yourself into the ground. 

By embracing rest as a crucial element of your leadership strategy, you’re not only promoting your personal well-being, but also fostering a culture that values balance. You’re leading by example, showing your team that it’s not just about working hard, but also about working smart. 

As you embark on your leadership journey, remember the importance of rest. Far from an obstacle to success, it’s a source of fuel.

Do you want to explore more about how rest can enhance your leadership potential? Are you ready to break free from the ‘always on’ culture and embrace a more balanced approach to leadership? I’d love to work with you on this journey. Contact me and let’s take this transformative step together. 

With the right balance of work and rest, you can become the effective, inspiring leader you aspire to be. 

 

5 Tips to Build your Leadership Skills This Summer

Do you realize you can build your leadership skills this summer by relaxing, opening your senses and having fun? And with all going on in the world, if you’ve been feeling like Atlas holding everything up at work, the winning combination may be exactly what you need. 

If you are uninspired, in a rut from the push of meeting goals and deadlines, a little burnt out, or just plain unhappy, it can definitely affect your coworkers and clients.  Whatever your situation, it’s very likely it is trickling down to your staff too. What you bring in terms of energy and attitude can shift the room. As a leader, that is a powerful opportunity to change not just your own experience at work, but for all those who work with and for you! 

All it takes is saying YES to creating a shift. For that yes to work its magic in you, here are five ways to build your leadership skills this summer (and bonus: it will make the season more enjoyable for you too).

TAKE OFF

The quickest way to gain new perspective and fresh energy is to take some time off. It is summer after all, so if you have the ability to take vacation time – do. The key is to not make it all about catching up on everything you had on your home to-do list. Though that can take a weight off your shoulders and make you feel lighter, it can also be endless, as one thing leads to more. 

My suggestion is to create the space in your life to read or look at art, discover new music, or hike someplace new, – anything that will bring expansion on another level. And with it, new ideas – preferably ones that have nothing to do with your business – will come. Last month I wrote about how creativity enhances your ability to lead.  If you can’t spare a whole week off right now, try taking 2 Fridays or Mondays off this month and use that business day for the business of developing YOU. 

TUNE IN

We use our rational brain most of the time in business. But as leadership models continue to morph from the top down style of management to putting staff needs and communication first, now would be a great time to cultivate the other resources you have inside you to apply: Your inner instincts. As a starting point, you may want to reread my posts on the Three Brains of Intelligence, especially on Heart Intelligence, which is more about the person leading than it is about that professional title, and listening to your gut, which is more nuanced than girding up and having guts… You may want to check out a few articles on the topic, or see if there are audio books you can listen to while biking or gardening.

PLAN FOR CONNECTION  

Be thinking of how you can utilize August to connect with and build your team. There are many ways to do that, so devote some solitude time in a hammock or chaise to who you feel is in need and what some of the problems may be. Sketch out a list over coffee one morning, and then come back to read here in August, because that’s what next month’s blog is about. You’ll find several solid suggestions for you to get you started.  

LOOK TO FALL 

Labor Day will come all too fast, and within mere weeks, we’ll have to pull our focus back to work and life responsibilities. It’s tough to think about when summer’s in full swing, but it’s an ideal time to get a jump on Q4. For awhile there, we were unsure what we’d be met with day by day, so it’s a relief that things are getting back to the point where you can at least do some near-term forecasting again.  

Whatever your business, almost all need some kind of longer view. I marvel at the fact that whatever you even loosely write down on paper finds its way to becoming a reality. So while sitting in your pool floatie, mowing the lawn or strolling at the golden hour, let thoughts come. And/or take one morning to create a no-interruptions hour (texts silenced, email shut down, wifi off) somewhere you can have quiet and privacy (sign on the door!) to write down what comes up. After that, you’ll find new ideas or details pop up right in the middle of waterskiing, or plucking tomato suckers! Write those down too. Or speak them into your voice memo on your phone – and use the time you set to transpose it.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

For most businesses, things slow a little during the summer. Take advantage of that to try out some new software or research something that has needed a deep dive attention. It can be finally figuring out Spotify, or how to edit your videos, or it could be to familiarize yourself with a business tool or to actually take the tutorial for the upgrade your computer just did. Total win/win!

Whatever it is that you do, the bonus here is to not bury yourself all summer. It’s been a rough couple of years. Don’t undervalue refreshing yourself and taking space for adjusting and contemplating all that’s happened, and where it has you and your role now. Self care is akin to career care. Everyone will benefit. 

I find it exciting to help people to build their leadership skills, consciousness and access to their inner wisdom as they make decisions and carve out new paths for themselves. Please Contact Me if you’d like to work with these or want different ways to grow your leadership skills this summer!