Our Top Ten List for 2009 – Part Two

In my last blog, I focused on the five things you can do as a leader to have a greater impact on your organization and your leadership legacy. It’s also important to take the time to focus on yourself – after all, you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.

The five things to resolve to do for yourself in 2009 are:

1. Put greater meaning and purpose in your life. Much of the western world’s model for success is based primarily on the mental/intellectual aspects of things associated with work and family. While these dimensions of our life are important, they are not always the full equation for a lasting sense of fulfillment, achievement, and success. It is important to view your life more holistically. One way to do this is to consider your world of leadership more broadly by aligning and tapping into the four quadrants which represent a centered leadership model. These dimensions include physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. 

   I personally pull out a tool we use at SHAMBAUGH called the Wheel of Life – which we incorporate in our coaching practice and in our Women in Leadership and Learning (WILL) programs. This tool helps me to step back and look at the 5-6 areas of my life, in addition to work and family, that are most important to me- like my health, my personal growth and development, my spiritual life, my recreation, and so on. From there, I reset or continue to lead from a set of priorities and goals in the areas where I would like to feel greater satisfaction. Our world is constantly changing and transforming, so take another look at adding greater meaning to your life by reviewing and re-aligning your activities and energy so you are leading from your true center and are personally engaged, energized and fulfilled in the critical aspects of your life.

2. Invest time in yourself. Take time to assess and truly understand your priorities to better blend your work-life integration. In the U.S., we spend more hours at work than people in just about every other country. Ask yourself, am I really focusing on the things that matter (being effective) or am I just focusing on knocking off the activities that continue to build on my “to do” list? Step back and reflect on your priorities; Are you anchored and heading in the right direction or sleepwalking through life? Get rid of the clutter in your life (those energy depleters) and start fresh in the near year. Five years from now, what will you wish you had focused on and what will you regret that you didn’t do? Be aware of your top five values, priorities and goals, and focus on integrating those activities into your everyday life.
3. Give yourself permission to do something you’ve wanted to do. What is it that you’ve been putting off? What were you always going to do when you had the time? What is it that, at the end of a day, you really wish you’d done… but didn’t? Whether it’s going home early to spend more time with your children, taking a trip, setting up a date night with your husband, reconnecting with an old friend, or learning a new language- do something nice for yourself and do it now! Part of what we can do as a role model is give other people permission to live their lives the way they want. If you are doing that, then you not only reap the personal rewards, you also encourage others to do the same.
4. Create healthy disruptions for yourself. When I start feeling stuck or don’t have the energy or ideas that I need, I do something I wouldn’t normally do. I refer to these as healthy disruptions. They are a great way to break the day-to-day pattern of my life. This helps to re-energize me and often provides me with a healthy and realistic perspective on issues and challenges in my world, and also acts as a catalyst for helping me to be more creative. Your options are limitless! Read a book you would not have thought of reading. Go see a matinee or a concert with a friend or be daring and just go by yourself. Cook something you’ve never eaten before. Play solitaire. Call someone who gave you his business card. Take a walk around the block. Put music on or turn it off! Try creating healthy disruptions for yourself and let me know what shows up for you!
5. Have fun and keep a sense of humor. Believe it or not, fun doesn’t always happen! Sometimes we have to plan for it. What are you doing for the pure fun of it? I play tennis and golf, meet friends for dinner, and watch old movies- just for fun! It’s important to know what fun looks like for you and to pursue those activities regularly. And for me, fun often involves laughter. People who laugh live longer, are healthier and have a better outlook on life. Resolve to not take things too seriously at the end of the day. Set your life up to include laughter as part of it. And, remember, one of the best things you can do is laugh at yourself.

Every New Year is a great time for reflecting, refocusing and prioritizing. While you set goals in your professional life, remember the importance of doing the same for your personal well-being. And together, let’s have a Happy New Year!

Kick off the New Year and join us on January 29, 2009 for our upcoming Sticky Floors Webinar – Asking For What You Want – click here for more details!

Click here to read Becky’s previous blogs

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