Passionate about growing leader & team capability. Coach at Sage Alliance, speaker & author of "You Think You’re Coaching, But You’re Not!"
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Balance has always seemed like an elusive goal that we never achieve. Hybrid teams, with some employees working remotely while others are located onsite, bring with them additional complexities. For this reason, it is even more important to take care of yourself while energizing your team to do the same thing. The leaders who do this best are those who recognize they can’t do everything.
Many organizations saw greater productivity from sending their employees home. However, employees may be paying the price with burnout on the rise, as there is less balance in our always-on-culture. The lines between our personal and professional lives have blurred more than ever before. Consequently, it is important to set boundaries and work on the right things to achieve better balance and be more productive, both for ourselves and for our teams.
Here are four tips you can implement today, whether you are in the office or working remotely.
1. Focus On The Essentials. You cannot do everything. Identify the three things you are working on that will deliver the greatest value. Eliminate time-wasters or things that do not deliver the highest return on investment.
To do this, you must say “no” or at least “not now.” Easier said than done, right?
The most successful leaders are not those who do more but those who do less. They focus on the areas that will have the greatest impact on their role, their teams and their organization. When you prioritize and set boundaries, productivity will follow.
Energy Tip: Create a “Not” To-Do List. What should be at the top of that list? Do not say yes to everything. Keep this list handy to help you keep your focus on the essentials. When you gain clarity on the things that are not the best use of your time, it unlocks space to work on the high-value items.
2. Slow Down To Go Faster. You must declutter your physical and mental space and create a sanctuary where you can be productive. This may sound intuitive, but when your work environment is disorganized, it is distracting and impacts your mental well-being and ultimately your productivity. Instead of working more hours to offset the overwhelming volume of work, slow down. Schedule do-not-disturb time, or time where you avoid distractions and take a much-needed mental break. When you slow down, even for a few minutes, you will be surprised by how productive you will be. Successful leaders seek healthy ways to declutter their minds by slowing down.
Energy Tip: Establish rituals by spending a few minutes every day reflecting, thinking strategically and disengaging. You can do this by taking a walk, moving to a different room or location or scheduling shorter meetings to allow a much-needed break. Finding a few quiet moments to disconnect from the things that clutter your mind will help you feel refreshed, gain a new perspective and be more productive.
3. Use Your Energy To Your Advantage. Our to-do list looms over us and is a constant reminder of our failure to get everything done. Time is finite and is not a renewable resource. Yet we are time-spendthrifts, working on things that drain our energy. Instead, when something seems overwhelming, focus your effort in short bursts. For example, carve out 30-minute bursts to put forth your best effort to combat procrastination and projects that seem overwhelming. With this intense focus, you gain a sense of accomplishment that fuels your energy and leads to being more productive.
Energy Tip: Do an energy audit by charting your energy over a period of seven days. Identify trends, including the times of day when you have the most and the least energy. Use the times of greatest energy to get to your hardest projects or those that you are procrastinating on completing.
4. Recharge Your Batteries. Whether you are working from home or from your office, it is easy to burn out or feel overwhelmed with less of a delineation between our personal and professional lives. To counteract this, you must establish healthy boundaries to take care of yourself! Carve out time for family, personal growth, exercise and sleep. Include hobbies or non-work-related activities that help you recharge your batteries, such as cooking, reading, writing or playing an instrument. Without boundaries, these areas will suffer. To live a healthier, more fulfilled life, make time for the things that give you energy and matter most.
Energy Tip: Start every day by writing down three things you will do that are in your sweet spot. Think of these as your passions or the things you enjoy doing. They fuel you and play to your strengths. Treat these as high-priority items and add them to your calendar. Working on your passions will keep your motivation high, especially during times when your energy is waning.
Start today and set work-life boundaries that will help you bring your life into balance, increase your energy and achieve greater productivity for yourself and your team.
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