5 Key Things Leaders must juggle every day
I am sitting here at the end of another busy week. I am writing blog posts, answering emails, doing marketing, running meetings, problem solving, preparing and planning for the future.
It is tiring but good. I am busy enough to be able to plan my week ahead, see what needs to be done and when. What I am not doing is enjoying the time.
In order to enjoy time more, I need to learn to Juggle. That may sound ridiculous, after all, have you been reading this blog for a while? Yes, I have. I hear you say!
You see, in order to juggle leadership tasks I need to learn how to effectively manage my time and to be able to effectively control my time. Here is how I do this.
Here’s My 5 Key Leadership Considerations
1. Create Target Lists
Creating a target list is always a good thing. By having a list of things I want to get done, it helps to keep me focused and juggle leadership tasks. It is also good to be able to tick things off your list. This gives me a sense of achievement and reward.
I find that when I make a list of things to do, I am more likely to get them done. This is because I have a specific plan and I can focus on each task one at a time. Additionally, crossing items off of my list provides me with a sense of accomplishment.
2. Plan Time
I used to fail at this on a daily basis. I used to always live in the moment and think that tomorrow is another day. Planning time is easy once you know what you have to do. However, I’ve learned that if I don’t take the time to plan out my day, I’ll never get anything done. I’ll always be behind and scrambling to catch up.
So now, I take a few minutes each day to plan out my goals and to-do list. I make sure to include everything that I need to get done, both big and small. And I’ve found that by taking this small amount of time to plan, it helps me juggle leadership tasks and my days are much more productive. I also don’t feel as overwhelmed!
3. Eat Well
I have been blunt in the past about this. My diet is terrible. I use to consume too many calories and not enough protein. I speak to a lot of people in the industry and there seems to be a problem. It seems that a lot of people find themselves in the job force and they don’t have enough money to do the things they need to sustain themselves.
They turn to fast food and coffee to keep them going. The fast food and coffee industry is huge and is always coming up with new products and flavours to keep us entertained. This is not exactly healthy.
I recommend that you start with a simple suggestion.. get back to basics.
Eat foods which are easy to cook, foods which are easy to store and foods which are easy to eat. Food prep for the week on a Sunday while listening to a podcast which doubles down on time and for the week. Not only will this save you money you will be healthier too.
4. Sleep Well
Sleep is essential. It is something we have forgotten about for the most part. We are so busy working and earning money that we often forget to look after ourselves.
This is a huge mistake. Sleep is vital for our health and well-being. It allows our bodies to rest and repair. It helps us to think more clearly and make better decisions. It also reduces stress and anxiety. So make sure you get enough sleep!
An excellent book I finished recently was called Sleep, by Nick Littlehales. Nick is a leading sleep coach, and the book is debunks various myths about sleep and introduces new concepts for us to consider.
Such as, the myth of eight hours sleep a night and why it does not add up, how to nap with your eyes open, dealing with anxiety, snoring and household night challenges, and discovering your own sleep cycle to boost your productivity. Worth a 90 minute read!
5. Have Fun
Taking time to have fun is important. Do not let work, leadership and business take over. This does not mean that you have to ditch your responsibilities and go out partying every night. It simply means, take some time for yourself. Slow down once in a while. Recharge.
If you work all day, take an hour in the middle to relax and do something calming. If you work at night, go and watch a movie or go out with a friend during the afternoons.
There is no point in trying to be a great leader and productive all the time if you are not able to relax. This is also sets an example for your teams. Having a burnt out team will not get us far.
The key to being productive is a balance between leadership and relaxation. If you make work a priority then you will never have enough time to take care of yourself. Remember to have fun.
Final Thoughts
My 5 considerations to help juggle leadership tasks may seem pretty simple but there are a lot of factors which affect all of them.
Simple is good. These key items will help plan, organise, coordinate, lead, and make clear decisions, but they are not the only things that you need to be successful as a leader. There is more to life than just following a simple set of rules, so don’t be afraid to explore and find your own path.
You need to take care of yourself if you want to juggle leadership tasks effectively. Remember to take some time for yourself.
Life is short, Carpe Diem.