It’s the final line in the post, but the one that most struck me. I mean, how many CEO’s, Executives or Managers see that a key part of their responsibility as a leader is to take a break? Surely they should be working hard, putting in overtime, doing their best for the company?
However, this is exactly Tristan’s point. NOT taking a break is NOT good for the company.
Taking breaks wasn’t always Tristan’s forte – “I used to think that I needed to be in the office every single day. I thought I needed to be there earlier than everyone else and I thought I needed to stay later. I was the leader. I needed to be there. My team needed me to be there, just in case something went wrong.”
But how often does something actually go wrong?
If you have things set up correctly, major disasters should rarely happen. Of course, small problems may arise, in fact they are bound too. However, they could arise if you were there or not, and are you really the only one who can solve the problem? Give your staff the chance to stretch their problem solving muscles, and give yourself the chance to look after yourself and take care of things outside of work as well. It’s not only good for you, but it is a wonderful way of demonstrating the importance of work life balance to your staff.
Yes, But I Can’t Just Now
Yes you can! However, there is likely some preparation that needs to happen. Take the time to start planning:
Don’t set up expectations that long hours and excessive hard work is “the way things are done around here”, to the detriment of health, productivity, and dare I say it, happiness.
Schedule your next break today! Then tell us about it. What have you got planned for your next break?
Abbie Allen founded Lifestyle Elements, a personal concierge service, at the age of 23, when she saw that there was an ever increasing need to provide a practical service which supported our busy lives. 8 years on Abbie and her team have developed a service that provides a support team for people seeking greater balance in their lives. From errand running and pet care, to travel bookings and event management, Lifestyle Elements is a modern response to the dilemma of not having enough time in the day. Abbie also delivers speeches and workshops in the areas of Work Life Balance, Time Management and Women in Business. PUBLISH THIS BLOG POST – Would you like to publish this post on your blog, website or newsletter? You are welcome to share any blog posts written by Abbie Allen as long as you contact us first via email for confirmation, a link back to the original blog post is provided, along with inclusion of the above bio. If you would like an image of Abbie, please contact abbie@lifestyleelements.com.au