There are so many articles out there from the rich, famous, successful people on how they remain at their best, what they put their success down to. Their health hacks through to their morning routines and everything in between. Where wellness impacts us the most is in this space of success. If we’re not well we can’t be successful. We can’t have great ideas, get through the workload or have the energy to inspire others. The healthier and happier we are as individuals the more effective and therefore successful we’re likely to be. It’s why wellness has become big business, in business.
It’s something I discovered the hard way burning out in a senior corporate role at one of the biggest companies in the country. Back in the days when I put hard work at the top of my to do list and deprioritised taking time off. I saw down time as a waste of time – unproductive! The result? My performance suffered and ultimately my health.
It’s why these lessons have become the strategies I swear by not just to keep me functioning well but to help me go that extra mile in terms of the ideas I have the work I produce and the impact it has. These are the strategies I attribute my success to and are what keep me bouncing out of bed each morning to do it all again – even on the hard days.
We’re only at our best when we feel healthy and well. It means we’re able to achieve so much more. When I’m well rested and at my best I come up with great ideas, I have more energy when I present and my mind is clearer when I sit down to tackle the to do lists. I can get done in a day what it used to take 3 days to do – and it’s better quality. From a performance perspective who wouldn’t say no to this? If this was a pill I was selling with the same results it’d be one of the best selling drugs of all time. There are similar themes that arise when CEOs and celebrities share their tips around wellness and what keeps them at their best, some you’ll recognise here. It’s not a coincidence. These are the things I swear by to keep me performing at my best.
Meditation – this has been life changing and over the last decade continues to be the number one skill I’ll always point to as the most important one I’ve ever learned – it’s also very simple. I sit for ten minutes each morning and observe my breathing, sometimes with the support of an app. Some days my mind is busy and other days peaceful but regardless of what I find this practice ensures I can cultivate calm and composure throughout the day. It has helped me become more self-aware, control my thinking patterns, handle set backs, respond rather than react and regulate my emotions as well as become more present and therefore more aware of what’s going on around me.
Movement – for me it’s yoga because it grounds me as well as stretching my body and strengthening my muscles. We’re all different though so it’s not really about what exercise you do it’s about making sure you move your body in a way that works for you. I also enjoy getting my heart rate up, even if that means a trip to the gym – the exercise endorphins make me happy and the fitness makes me healthy. I also appreciate the post workout sauna and my muscles relax and I get some thinking space – I’ve had many good ideas in the sauna post workout! I’m also a fan of walking though and for reasons well beyond the exercise – this also allows me to get out into nature which is also key for my wellness, I love the sunshine and feel the effects of a daily dose of vitamin D when I get outside.
Solitude – as much as I love public speaking, connecting with people and delivering workshops I know I need to couple this with some alone time. As an introvert being around lots of people exhausts me so when I’ve had a speaking heavy week I know I need a day to myself. I’m a thinker and without this quiet time to process my thoughts they get a bit jumbled. In a world of busyness and noise we’ve lost touch of the benefits of silence and time to be by ourselves.
Making sure I get an early night is key, I know I need my sleep and I know I’m not as effective without it, in terms of energy but also temperament and my ability to think clearly (therefore make decisions and problem solve). I’ve also got a lot better at saying no. I used to have a tendency to want to do all of the things – either because of FOMO or because I didn’t want to let people down. Now I experience the opposite JOMO and the joy of missing out by taking a bath and going to bed early whilst everyone else heads off to that post conference party.
Rather than waste energy on things I can not change or worry about what ifs I like to ensure I get perspective. I do this through a gratitude practice, that helps me see the positives in my life and my business and train the brain to offset its negativity bias. I also like to be aware of when my thoughts do tend towards the negative and why – what am I worrying about and what can I do about it. I keep the Dali Lamas saying close by at times like this “if there’s a solution to your problem great don’t worry. If there’s not a solution to your problem, there’s no point worrying”
Learning the art of acceptance and letting go of what we can’t control has been a game changer.
I notice when I don’t get time to devote to this stuff that my energy drops and I become less effective. My health and mood suffer too. That’s why these rituals sit at the top of my to do list. It’s critical for me to survive and be at my best. Not a nice to have, luxury item that I get around to at weekends or when I’ve done everything else on the to do list - because that never happens!
Of course this doesn’t make me immune to over doing it – taking on too much because of the high achiever drive or not saying no often enough because of the people pleasing tendencies. I also notice when I get busy I need to focus on this stuff more – and it’s ironic because it’s at that point we have the least time to devote to it! When I notice I’m in this space I spend less time on my device, cut down on what I’ve begun to drink as a coping mechanism or to ‘unwind’. I make an effort to eat more fruit and veg and get more sleep. It’s a great kick start that helps me find space to pause and breath and focus back on my wellness tools.
So now you know my secret to success, what’s yours? What keeps you functioning at your best and are you prioritising that?
Find out more on this free lunchtime webinar 16 December 2020