In my last blog post, I wrote about the tough issue of letting go of employees that bring you down. Although difficult, this is a necessary part of professional leadership in order to continue your company’s growth. This week I’ll discuss the last of seven commitments for making 2017 a big year: minding your health.
7. Mind your Health
Being a good employee, co-worker or business owner does not mean overworking yourself at the office. You will not receive any special recognition or a badge of honor for being the first one in and the last one to leave, so do yourself a favor and commit to working smarter, not harder.
Of course, there will always be days that require you to go over your eight hours, but making 50, 60 or even 70 hour weeks the norm is too much. Over-working yourself can cause you to lose your sharpness, meaning your work could become messy and far less than your best. In turn, this means you’ll be spending even more time fixing what you’ve already done.
Instead of trying to cram as much work into your day as possible, focus on creating high quality work that exceeds expectations. Set priorities for your day and delegate what you can to others. Once you plan your day, don’t let distractions derail you. Learn to disconnect (as much as possible) while at home or away from the office. Limit yourself to only checking email at certain times and set an automatic responder to let your contacts know you’re away and will respond to them at a later time.
If you’re still finding yourself exhausted after cutting back on hours, try exercising more regularly by taking a brisk walk on your lunch break, hitting the local gym after work or spending an hour playing catch with the kids. It may also be helpful to put your thoughts on paper – take about 20 minutes before bed to put down what’s worrying you or things you’ve learned that day. This will help you empty your brain and reflect on your thoughts, leading to less tossing and turning throughout the night.
Although it may be challenging to cut back on work and start putting yourself first, you will reap the benefits with more time for your family, for yourself and for your health.
