A Call for Self Care
Posted on February 26, 2021 by Susan Jordan MBA MSOD PCC, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
Taking time to re-energize yourself has never been more important than it is today.
Leaders are exhibiting extreme burnout as we enter the second year of COVID. Survival depends on a shift to an emphasis on self-care.
As I talk to my clients about focusing on self-care. They are scared to stop what they are doing to focus on themselves. It may seem like a weakness. What will the boss think?
As I stare from my back porch, watching the birds fight for a place at the birdfeeder, I wonder what would help my clients.
In this post, I’ll give you some ideas and reflect on the results of my own experiment in self-care. Spoiler alert, it’s not all about massages and foot rubs, although those do help.
What is [Self Care (and Why Does it Matter)?
Self-care is defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.”
Periods of stress? Does that include a worldwide pandemic going on for years, a fight for racial justice, economic uncertainty, and crazy weather causing fires, floods, and freezing?
Yet, leaders often overlook their own well-being during times of high stress. You can’t expect to help others if you haven’t first helped yourself.
They say, “For some reason if I take a day off, there will be more work when I get back. If I go away, I still get a million emails and texts, so what’s the point. I need to spend time with my kids, helping them with the school work.”
What’s your excuse?
It matters because, without it, you will not have the energy to sustain yourself. Self-care is your soul’s food. It’s as necessary as breathing and eating (although those are parts of self-care).
My experiments in self-care
I can’t coach clients struggling to manage stress with self-care if I don’t explore myself. What gives me joy, energy, and unexpected outcomes?
Here’s what I did
Took a watercolor class – Something about swishing paints in water and watching new colors emerge was appealing. A scary-eyed crane resulted from my first endeavor, but my instructor’s praise gave me a warm glow.
Read a great book – “The Great Alone” by Kristin Hannah, set in the Alaskan outback, took me to a world I never knew.
Set up zoom craft dates with my Grandaughters – we painted (there are those watercolors again) and made coffee filter butterflies. “Let’s wave our arms like butterflies as we say goodbye,” my 5-year-old flaps.
I listened to my favorite podcasts while I walked by the bay, searching for my crane friend “Fred,” who lingers in the marsh. That’s not who I painted, though, but a good idea, now that I have the crane thing down.
I watched my cat play with a plastic bag and paper clip.
Results ranged from giggles, joy, to renewed energy.
How to begin your self-care experiments.
Start small with something that brings you joy in small increments a day.
Allow yourself to pause.
Here are some areas to focus on.
Practice Self-Awareness – what brings you joy?
Set boundaries – say no sometimes.
Take care of physical and mental health – go for a walk.
Give yourself grace – let go of perfection.
Do something for others (that you don’t have to)
Just as you are reminded as your board a plane to use the oxygen first, it’s equally important to nurture yourself.
If this is difficult for you, coaching can help you shift mindsets and experiment with small steps to bring you back to your life.
Visit my website www.sphereshift.com to find out more.
What’s one self-care gift will you give yourself within the next 24 hours?
