The corporate world's desire for more, better, faster has placed huge demands on the people who lead and work for organizations. But, is this drive to beat out the competition healthy?
In a word, the answer is "no." However, there is good news. It can be managed.
As a leader, it is vital that as the workload and pressures to succeed grow, you also make time to slow down and breathe.
Scheduled breaks are necessary, especially as you climb the leadership ladder. And, the higher you go, the more important it is that you give attention to time away from the office.
Without scheduled breaks, the body begins to wear down, both mentally and physically. At some point, the person will collapse under the crushing weight of their work.
To avoid this burn out disaster, here are some tips for leaders to ensure they weather the corporate hurricane.
- Schedule wind-down time after the work day. It might be half an hour or a full hour. Give yourself enough time to let the day's work pass before you head home to whatever awaits for you there.
- Schedule time at the beginning of each week to plan out your week. I got this idea from Michael Hyatt. By planning out your week, you can better manage the stress of the job.
- Schedule time away every 3-4 months. Most folks call these vacations. They're necessary to allow your mind and body to rest and recover. They're also good for rejuvinating those creative juices.
- Schedule a sabbatical. This tends to be a scary word to most leaders. A sabbatical is an extended time away from the office. It's longer than the typical vacation, perhaps as much as a month. These are essential if you are in a high stress leadership position. Look at it this way, you can take a sabbatical now, or an extended one after your mental break down. Some leaders will do these once a month. Others will plan an extended getaway every few years. It primarily depends on how well you respond to stress.
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