The American Psychological Association (APA) dictionary defines "selfishness" as:

"the tendency to act excessively or solely in a manner that benefits oneself, even if others are disadvantaged."

Most leaders I work with are the opposite of selfish.

They often act in ways that benefit others - to their own detriment.

Most times it's because they are not and never have been oriented toward self-care.

And without self-care, their actions often become detrimental to everyone.

The Challenge

• You have difficulty sleeping because you can't shut off your mind.

• You regularly experience headaches or the other physical symptoms of stress and strain.

• You struggle to concentrate.

• You are chronically reactive or impatient.

and as a result,

• You are demanding at inappropriate times.

• You express outsized frustration for a small or insignificant mistake.

• You make snap judgments without pausing to understand all the facts.

• You are asked repeatedly if you're ok.

The Remedy 

• Embrace self-care as a valuable tool for sustaining effective leadership.
  This reduces the chance of a crash and burn.

   

• Commit to a DAILY self-care routine that is simple and doable.
  Take deep breaths regularly. 
  Listen to music you like. 
  Take a walk.
  Keep a journal.
  Practice yoga.
  Relax and put your feet up for a few minutes.
  Find an exercise routine you enjoy.
  Reduce your social media exposure by at least 20%.
  Connect with family and friends.
  Adopt a meditation or relaxation practice. 
   

• Schedule extended time away from the job.
  Always take your vacations.
  Spend time with people who value and like to share joyous living.
  At least once a year, schedule a nature retreat to have dedicated time for personal reflection.

• Encourage self-care for all team members.
  Prioritizing self-care benefits, individuals, teams, clients, organizations and families.

The Truth

• Self-care increases efficiency and effectiveness.

• Self-care increases the ability to better serve the needs of teams and clients. 

• Self-care is the opposite of selfishness.

_______________________

Passionate Leadership
is who you're being as you're leading.

About the Author

Gayle Ely is a Leadership Coach, Trainer and Facilitator and founder of Total Life Leadership. At Total Life Leadership, we partner with purpose-driven non-profit leaders and service entrepreneurs to help them answer the question “How Do I Become a Better Leader?”

Using The Six Pillars of Passionate Leadership, we equip leaders to be the best they can be.  The result is a passionate leader whose team and organization are operating for maximum impact.

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