Physical and Mental wellness for success
You look good, you feel good. You feel good, you play good. A remnant from my coaching days, but it’s so true… our physical and mental status affects our output! For me, this begs a follow up question: What affects our well-being the most? Of course, a ton of factors come into play and each of us is different but, to the point, self-care at some level is key.
Maybe the airline industry has it right, take care of your own oxygen mask before you try to help someone else. As a leader, consider a similar approach. To be consistently effective and helpful to others you need to be at your best. If you are tired, frustrated, in a bad mood, or just not feeling good, think about how that can impair your presence with others. While perfection is untenable, as leaders, we set the culture and tone with more than our words! This week, we had a conversation about what that looks like for us:
Sleep
While causation and correlation shouldn’t be confused, a quick look at the National Institutes of Health website notes links between the lack of sleep to a number of health issues. If sleep is the time our body uses to rest and recover, it stands to reason a shortfall in sleep could negatively impact the body’s ability to do its job. For us, the information is anecdotal but overwhelming. Simply put: better sleep, better me. Available technology, from watches to specialty monitors, can get detailed about quality and duration of sleep, but consider this basic question…how do you feel? Most feel better when better rested. While duration may vary slightly person to person, get good rest!
Nutrition
You are what you eat? The food pyramid?? A new fad diet??? Take some time to research nutrition advice with your personal goals in mind. At some point, hopefully, you figure out what makes your body feel sluggish or up to task. Talk to a doctor, consult a nutritionist, or try something consistently for a while and see what works. We like advice that is fairly simple to do consistently. Stopping short of naming names, a quick search can get you started on a path to feeling better and having more energy.
Daily habits
It is amazing how much the little things matter. Even small habits, consistent over time, can make big changes. These habits may not be flashy, fun, or even seem like they are instantly effective, but even small daily habits building your body and mind can help you keep a positive baseline perspective and give you what’s needed for the tough days!
You can check out the full episode right here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2302598/14774122-embracing-physical-and-mental-wellness-for-success.mp3?download=true or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
