Energy fuels performance. If more is going out than coming in we are running on empty. As a leader you can’t afford this to happen as not only will your performance be affected but also that of your team and ultimately the whole organisation.
How Much Stress are you Tolerating?
Some leaders report spending up to 65% of their working lives in the stress zone. Most of us know by now that continuous high levels of stress create ill health due to the adverse effects of stress hormones on our bodies. This only leads in one direction – burnout. It also means we are always in fight/flight mode which shuts down our pre-frontal cortex where we do our best thinking making us incapable of performing at our best.
How to Get Out of the Stress Trap
The antidote to stress and the anxiety it brings is recovery. Studies have shown that the human brain performs well if it focuses for a period and then recovers. When planning your day instead of stacking up back to back meetings or sitting at your computer for hours ensure that after every 60 to 90 minute period you schedule in a short period of recovery where you move away from your desk. Take a walk, stretch, get some air, drink some water!
Get to Know Your Body
Sustainable high performance involves knowing what your body needs to feel alive and energised. Are you getting 7 to 8 hours sleep a night? Are you drinking enough water? Are you doing at least two thirty minute sessions of exercise a week? Make it your business to build these practices into your life.
Now you have the energy to energise your people. Because you are energised, your very presence will have a positive impact on others. Seeing your impact on their energy, commitment and performance will in turn re-energise you. Leaders who manage their own energy energise their organisations, create environments in which high performance is sustainable and enjoy themselves in the process.
