Giving it your all?
What were the most important leadership tasks so far? Having a clear vision and effectively communicating it so that everyone knows where we are headed. Another one that was also discussed in one of the recent issues: Finding and retaining the best employees and creating a framework for them to perform optimally. Actually, it doesn't matter which task comes first, second, or third. Because all 3 are crucial for the effectiveness of a leader or an entrepreneur. The one we are focusing on today is often neglected: Many of us work at our limits. And then wonder when suddenly the body, by ignoring the smaller signs, resorts to harsher measures and takes the rest it needs. Sometimes only an illness is needed for this, but sometimes it's ulcers, heart attacks, depressions, or even burnout and inability. It should never come to that point. So what to do?
What doesn't move anymore is dead.
Burning is something good, stress too, as long as it's enjoyable, meaning it challenges us in the right measure. Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi expressed it beautifully in a graphic: On one scale is the level of task demand. On the other side are our abilities and talents. When they match, we are in the phenomenon he defined as "Flow." It flows. And fast. This pace is sometimes interrupted by phases of overload but also underload. As long as we sometimes keep an eye on the word, it's also okay. It's only the constant state of being rushed, of permanent multitasking, of being controlled by others that we don't like. Even though they often make us feel important. Is there a way out?
Reclaiming personal territoryThere are definitely ways to approach things differently. We must increase the degree of self-determination again and sometimes even fight back. How to do that? A few concrete examples: Don't check your emails first thing in the morning. Why not? Most of the time, it's about things that are important to others (=being controlled by others). So you are reacting. How about starting the day with acting? Spend half an hour reading important information, for example. Or take ample time for daily planning. Or work on your most important project, for example, for an hour. Or call your most important (new) customer. And so on. There are plenty of opportunities to act. You can still check emails afterwards. 99% of them are just as answerable an hour later. But we feel completely different. No longer panting to catch up but actively shaping things ourselves. Some time ago, a marketing manager showed significant physical signs of stress. She realized she needed to slow down. So she immediately wrote a book on the (problem) topic of "emails and the internet." One of her tips that I really liked is this: check emails only twice a day, for example, at 10:00 and 16:00. In many cases, completely sufficient. Of course, there are exceptions. In the end, the key is: reclaim control over your time, even if there are many interruptions, which are also part of our daily leadership routine.
Fit as a fiddle
Lastly, the crucial advice on what we do with our bodies and how we treat them? Would you fill a jet with regular diesel or high-quality kerosene? This applies to both the psyche and the physique of a person. Simply put: Trash in - trash out. And I am definitely not an advocate of constantly having to do without. Everything we constantly deny ourselves becomes even more interesting. That's why diets don't work either. Enjoyment is back in focus. The freshly scented pizza with a cold beer in the evening can be just as good as the delicious grilled fish with a glass of white wine. As always, it's about the dosage. We don't need expensive sports equipment to stay healthy. How about taking the stairs instead of the elevator every now and then? I often get pointed to the elevator in hotels, even when my room is on the first floor. Do you know that feeling? Most people then take the elevator. For one floor. Sure, the suitcase is heavy... For one night. I often get surprised looks when I ask at the reception where the stairs are. A wonderful way to move in everyday life. And then exploring the new city with running shoes? Wonderful. Immersing yourself in a foreign, new environment, discovering, smelling, seeing. This is best done at a comfortable pace, it's healthy, costs almost nothing, and allows the body to do what it was built for: movement. Stress-related tensions are reduced and new ideas are developed along the way. And when you are "Fit as a fiddle," it's a pleasant side effect, but not a must.
