Work-life Balance Suddenly Re-defined
Welcome to a new way of living, everyone! Hi, it’s me, JMac. I hope you are all hunkered down in a self-induced quarantine in our collective effort to be safe and well. You’re probably learning how to go at life a little differently, but struggling with ways to continue being productive.
I hope you find this newsletter helpful as you navigate these challenges and further build out your COVID-19 survival kit. While everyone else is providing you with ways to keep you physically healthy, my goal is to help you stay emotionally grounded so that you can be mentally sound.
For starters, consider this:
TIMES ARE TOUGH, BUT SO ARE YOU.
You wouldn’t be in a leadership role (at work and/or home) if you weren’t capable. We are always handed what we can handle. It is up to us whether or not we believe that. What you believe is what you achieve. Envision yourself moving through this situation with grace and ease. See yourself empowering others to do the same. Resillience exists within you. Activate it.
TENDER IS THE NEW TOUGH.
In today’s world, it doesn’t pay to be insensitive, hard-driving or commandeering. That may have worked well in the 90s or even the early 2000s, but today being compassionate and empathetic will not only gain you esteem as a leader. It will also make you stronger and more capable of coming out of this hardship on top. Your body, mind, spirit and family need your support just as much as your team does. Think of your softer side as your source of true strength.
VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE?
Strong, solid leadership skill is more important than ever in a virtual work environment. Just when you thought you had this leadership thing down, think again. It’s time to sharpen your skills. Everything you were challenged by before – good communication, solid decision making, clear accountability and effective delegation – have raised the bar and the stakes. With the necessity to more consciously lead, this may be your best opportunity to shine.
No matter what you are facing today, tomorrow or next week, I believe in you. Look yourself in the mirror, take a deep breath, set a pure intention for a win-win with conviction and lead. Practice what you preach. Live it, speak it, act it. “It” is whatever you believe represents your best self in action.
You got this.
(and when you don’t believe it, I’m here to remind you.)
Here’s to an enthralling new adventure – cheers!
In my pursuit to help you actualize your best self as a leader, I’ve created this quick list to help you stay motivated on days when you may hit new plateaus.
Obviously you already love your family and friends. Now, love yourself, your co-workers, and customers. When you make that conscious decision, every other decision becomes easier – and so does your success.
“Did you say love?!” Yes. Coming from a place of compassion helps us all to make tough situations more palatable. It allows for us to make decisions that help everyone win: customers, team members and the business itself. It doesn’t mean that everyone is happy with your decisions. But it will generate empathy when the pure intent behind it is obvious.
Pay attention to how healthy your behavior is during these challenging times. Taking the steps above will help you train your brain and reprogram your behavior so that in the end, this time of quarantine not only protected you, but brought out the best in you.
