| The other day, I was on my monthly Zoom call with four colleagues with whom I studied at Columbia University to get my Executive Coaching certification. Our Columbia Mastermind Group has been together for over five years, exploring professional and personal development, sharpening our coaching skills, and examining what gets in the way of forward progress. They are a fantastic group of friends, and I am lucky to have them in my life. Here is the question we discussed: How are you doing with Batteries and Boundaries? More specifically, how is your battery? Is it fully charged, operating at 10%, or something in between? How respectful are you with the boundaries you have set? Do you have any boundaries? Do you regularly honor them, or do you ignore them? Take a minute and think about it. Now, why does it matter? Not having boundaries is a problem, but when your battery is low for whatever reason, it is more important than ever to honor your boundaries and “just say no”, not now, or share an alternate solution. A loud alarm should sound in your head if your battery is low. Maybe you are burnt out from work, have problems in your personal life, or are run down. If your battery is functioning at 20%, put energy into taking a rest. Restore yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. Heal. Get energized. Please don’t push it. Give yourself grace. |
| Worth The Share |
| As I was pondering the topic of Batteries and Boundaries, an email from Harvard Business Review appeared in my inbox with the headline: When It’s Time to Rest, referring, of course, to summertime. The author quotes Michael Watkins, IMD professor of leadership and organizational change. He wrote that “ each (of the leaders he coaches) |
| is grappling with unprecedented economic, technological, political, and organizational change and thus struggling to keep themselves, their teams, and their organizations energized and focused. Many feel close to overwhelmed or exhausted.” ” Since many professionals do not have time to take care of themselves properly, let alone practice meditation regularly, Watkins proposes Seven Different Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Workday, including: Take Three Deep Breaths; maybe try box breathingDo a Sensory Check-in; be present in the moment, tap into your five sensesRun a Body Scan; notice where you are holding tension and consciously relaxExecute the Mindful Minute; breathe, focus, and be mindful for the full 60 secondsGo on a Walking Meditation; put down your phone, feel your feet on the ground, focus on the movement of your body, and walk in silencePractice a Gratitude pause; think about something or someone you are grateful forTry to Eat Mindfully; don’t multitask; eat slowly and taste each bite Take a minute to read the article Seven Different Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Workday, and try two to three of these techniques regularly to help you slow down for just a minute when stress is piling up. You will be glad you did. |
| #wisewords “Burnout is more of an issue of poor energy management and low clarity than of over- giving.” — Brendon Burchard, author |
| And Finally… |
| Today is my day to share my love for alliteration. In addition to Batteries and Boundaries, think about Rest and Restore. After all, summertime is the ideal time for all of us to rest and get off the proverbial treadmill. Beyond rest, what are you doing to restore your spirit? What fills you up? What energizes you? We went to the mountains a couple of weeks ago and hiked every day. We slept in, read books, laughed a lot, and had terrific conversations. It was a gift. |
| I hope you effectively manage your Batteries & Boundaries this summer and take time to Rest & Restore. |
