Engaging our organisations into action is one of the many responsibilities we have as leaders.
We can achieve this in a variety of ways, but one of the most effective ways is setting a positive example for others to follow. When we approach everything with energy and enthusiasm, it’s contagious.
As we set the tone for our organisation’s culture, our departments will become energised and enthusiastic.
The question is are you fit enough to do this?
Do you have the energy to be able to set the example 8 hours a day 5 days a week?
Personally, I thought I was, I have always been very active, I don’t sleep a lot – 5hrs per day, and I am always on the go.
I did find it tough some weeks when we were going through hard times and the working weeks crept closer to 80 hours than 40 hours, but I invariably coped and after a day or so of rest, I felt ready to get back into the thick of the action.
However, in one of the coaching sessions with Mark McGregor, we had a long discussion about health, exercise diet and recharging the batteries.
One of his comments was “ok, so you have a lot of energy but what are you doing to protect it, each day you’re one day older and one day, that natural energy might not be there for you to rely on, what will you do then”.
I thought about it, and I didn’t know what I would do.
He also said, “you know even if you feel fit, you can always be fitter, imagine how much more energising you could be if you had even more energy”.
And finally, he said, “we can’t manage time, but we can manage our energy, and the more energy we have the more time we will have, both at work and at home”.
Finally, I got his point, and I decided that I would start a fitness regime, even though I wasn’t sure I needed it.
The main points for a healthier more energetic life are:
– Drink more water
– Eat a balanced healthy diet
– Exercise just 30 minutes a day 3 times a week
If you do these three simple things you will see big improvements, and Mark always says, if you only do one of these then drink more water, which I always find interesting.
So over the past several months I have been doing a training regime, as I used to play a lot of sports, I opted for more than just 30 minutes a day, but as you get into and you get the bug, it does become a little addictive.
I have been really surprised to see big changes, I actually sleep a bit more now, 6 hours rather than 5, because I need to recover, but I do wake up much more refreshed.
My energy levels have increased significantly, which has also had other impacts:
– I actually find it much easier to relax when at home
– My stress levels are lower, or should I say my resistance to stress is higher
– My concentration levels are much greater, and I can focus on things for longer
– I am generally happier
Additionally, others that I work with are now also following me, and if they can realise the same benefits from being fitter, then imagine how much more productive our department will be.
We do set the tone, so why not set a healthy tone?
It’s good for us, it’s good for them and it’s good for productivity. Win, Win, Win.
If you want to learn more about creating highly engaged teams or being a better leader click the link to make an appointment to talk about how I can help.
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