The Secret to Productive Leadership
Imagine waking up on a Monday with a packed week ahead—back-to-back meetings, team conflicts, and looming deadlines. Self-care quickly gets pushed aside as you tell yourself, "I'll rest after this project."
Sound familiar? Many of us prioritise everything else, thinking that pushing through will lead to success. However, neglecting self-care affects not just ourselves, but also those we lead. If you’re constantly running on empty, it's a sign that self-care is essential, not optional. The good news? Small, intentional changes to your routine can significantly boost both your leadership and well-being.
Why Self-Care Matters
Leaders carry immense responsibility, managing teams, making critical decisions, and often shouldering the emotional burdens of others. The nature of leadership consumes a great deal of mental, emotional, and physical energy. While many leaders are excellent at supporting their teams, they often neglect their own well-being.
Whether it’s due to time constraints, cultural pressures, or feelings of guilt, many leaders skip self-care, perceiving it as indulgent or unnecessary. But here’s the truth: prioritising self-care is vital for leaders to perform at their best and lead with clarity and compassion.
Shifting the Mindset: How to Approach Self-Care
Before diving into strategies, leaders need to reframe how they view self-care. Taking insights from Palena Neale’s HBR article, “A Self-Care Checklist for Leaders”, here are some mindset shifts that can help you embrace self-care as an essential leadership tool:
- Give yourself permission to care inwardly: Ask yourself what’s stopping you from practising self-care. Recognise that good health and well-being are essential for you to function optimally as a leader.
- Avoid perfectionism: You won’t master self-care overnight, and that’s okay. Small steps lead to lasting change. Accept that you may experience ups and downs along the way.
- Observe others: You may notice other leaders confidently setting boundaries and taking mental health days. Take inspiration from their approaches and apply what resonates with you.
- Commit to small, consistent actions: Rather than overhauling your entire routine, start with one or two small habits and build from there. Whether it’s taking a 10-minute walk or shutting down emails after dinner, consistency is key.
- Celebrate your efforts: Acknowledge every effort you make, no matter how small. Recognise the positive impact self-care has on your mood, energy levels, and leadership performance.
A Guide to Self-Care for Leaders
Now that you’ve started shifting your mindset, let’s look at practical ways to integrate self-care into your leadership routine. This checklist, as outlined by Palena Neale, focuses on five key areas of well-being: body, mind, relationships, choice, and growth. Take 15 minutes each week to reflect on each area and identify where you can make adjustments.
1. Body: Budget Your Energy Wisely
Your physical health is your foundation. Leaders often push themselves to the brink without realising the long-term toll it takes. Start paying attention to your “body budget” — how you manage your energy expenditure through sleep, diet, exercise, and relaxation.
Score yourself out of 5 for the following:
- Exercise: Are you getting regular movement?
- Sleep: How well are you resting?
- Diet: Are you making nutritious choices?
Tips for Improvement:
- Plan meals and snacks before business trips or meetings.
- Schedule “micro-workouts” like a 15-minute walk during lunch breaks.
- Reduce late-night Zoom meetings or delegate travel when possible.
2. Emotional Health: Managing Stress and Relaxation
Leaders deal with emotional highs and lows regularly. To sustain emotional health, focus on two things: managing stress and finding time to relax.
Use the ABC method for emotional regulation:
- Awareness: Notice how strong emotions affect your thoughts and actions.
- Build intelligence: Reflect on the root cause of your emotions.
- Communicate: Have the necessary conversations to address practical issues with others. Do not communicate when you are in a low mood, as this affects the quality of your thinking and your words.
Relaxation tips:
- Find activities that help you unwind, whether it’s a hobby, time in nature, or spending time with loved ones.
- Make time for relaxation even during busy periods.
3. Relationships: Collaborate with Intention
Leaders thrive in a community. How you interact with others impacts both your energy and well-being. Regularly assess your professional and personal relationships to ensure they support your leadership goals.
Consider the following:
- Are you receiving the support you need from others?
- How do you model collaboration in your organisation?
- Are there relationships that drain your energy and need to be re-evaluated?
4. Choice Points: Take Ownership of Your Decisions
Leadership requires making choices, and having autonomy is key to happiness. Recognise the moments where you can exercise choice, whether it’s asking for help, delegating tasks, or setting boundaries.
Ways to maximise your choices:
- Identify three tasks you can delegate.
- Set boundaries to avoid burnout.
- Use time-tracking tools to understand where your time goes and where you can make adjustments.
5. Growth: Invest in Personal Development
Leaders are lifelong learners. Make time for your own development, whether through coaching, training, or reflection. Not only will this benefit your leadership, but it will also model the importance of growth to your team.
Development strategies:
- Set aside time for learning new skills or reflecting on your leadership approach.
- Engage in regular coaching or mentorship.
- Celebrate milestones in your personal and professional growth.
Are You Ready to Prioritise Your Well-Being?
By prioritising self-care, you become a more effective leader. This doesn't mean spending hours each day pampering yourself, but rather integrating small, manageable self-care practices into your life. The result? Greater productivity, clearer thinking, and a healthier work environment for your entire team.
However, if you're struggling to implement these practices or feeling overwhelmed by the demands of leadership, seeking guidance from a coach can be a valuable step. A coach can help you identify areas where self-care may be lacking and provide tailored strategies to improve both your personal well-being and your leadership performance. With professional support, you can create a sustainable self-care plan that fits into your busy schedule, helping you lead with clarity, confidence, and resilience.
References:
Neale, P. (2024, September 27). A self-care checklist for leaders. Harvard Business Review.
Important Links
Newsletter
Get exclusive stories, fresh insights and tips from Clarissa, plus podcast highlights, new tools, upcoming workshops, special offers, and more.
© 2025 Clardoon Coaching