Tips for Leaders to Avoid Getting Over-Tired
In this tip for handling rapid change, Praesta coach Dr. Peter Shaw shares some advice to stop your enthusiasm from making you feel exhausted
Tired?
When we are very focused on leading or contributing to major change the adrenalin flows. We are thriving on the excitement of enabling change to happen. This sense of excitement keeps up our energy and resolve. We are thriving in a stimulating, if sometimes febrile, atmosphere.
We may then observe a colleague whose energy begins to flag. They appear to be foundering, whereas previously they had been thriving. If the pace of change is fast our sympathy for the colleague may be limited, but seeing a colleague become over-tired can be a warning sign that we are at risk of a similar response. In any team, if the pace of change is very quick there is a risk that team members will begin to be affected by exhaustion. When the pace of change is fast we need to know how to look after ourselves and our colleagues. Allowing ourselves to become over-tired can be hugely dangerous, both for the effectiveness of the shared endeavour and our own well-being.
Here’s an example:
Alex had been very impressed by the commitment of her deputy who had been adept in putting forward detailed plans, but at the start of one week the deputy became surprisingly indecisive. Alex recognised that her deputy had become over-tired and needed a break. Alex persuaded her to take a long weekend and she returned rejuvenated after a couple of days away. Alex took this experience as a warning sign that she needed to be looking after herself and protect herself from becoming exhausted.
Alex recognised that she should organise her time more effectively so she was not at everyone’s beck and call all day. She needed to set aside time where she could be planning ahead. She needed to be more deliberate about when she left the office and ensure she did not spend every evening preoccupied about decisions for the following day. Alex recognised that there was a difference in how she needed to pace herself for a long-running project compared to one that had a deadline in two days’ time.
Practical tips:
- Recognise in which situations your adrenalin flows so that your energy can seem boundless for a period.
- Be alert to what drains your energy most at busy times and limit the amount of time you spend on such activities.
- Think ahead and plan how you use your time and energy.
- Be deliberate in taking a break when you are in danger of becoming over-tired.
