If you are experiencing depression and anxiety, address these issues first, as it will be challenging to manage other life aspects, including your career, without taking care of your mental health.
To effectively address depression and anxiety, engage in a comprehensive approach by using all scientifically supported methods: talk therapy, medication (if recommended by a physician), regular exercise, fostering good relationships, ensuring sufficient sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and practicing meditation.
Embody true servant leadership by prioritizing self-love and self-care, much like putting on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. Neglecting your own well-being can lead to physical and emotional burnout, hindering your ability to serve effectively.
Systematically send good wishes to others—whether close to you, not close, or all beings—by repeating phrases like ‘May you be happy, may you be healthy’ in your mind. This practice is scientifically shown to boost your compassion, help you get out of your own head, and ultimately benefit your own well-being.
To establish a consistent meditation habit, block out time on your calendar for it, treating it as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself. This approach helps prevent the guilt associated with missing a to-do list item and reinforces the habit.
Begin your mindfulness practice by focusing on your breath, feeling its sensations in the present moment. This serves as your primary anchor to bring your attention back when your mind wanders.
When your mind inevitably wanders during meditation, acknowledge the thought without judgment, then gently guide your awareness back to your anchor, like your breath. Each time you do this, consider it a ‘mental push-up’ that strengthens your attention muscle.
Dedicate a portion of your meditation practice to self-reflection, infusing it with gratitude and self-compassion, especially towards your struggles or imperfections. This helps you forgive yourself and recognize growth in challenges.
If you miss a scheduled meditation session, immediately forgive yourself and commit to trying again the next day. This ’let it go’ attitude is crucial for maintaining a sustainable practice and avoiding added stress or guilt.
Integrate mindfulness into your everyday life by using brief moments, such as waiting for an elevator or in line, to ‘zone in’ on the present experience. This helps counteract the momentum of mindlessness and brings awareness to ordinary activities.
Utilize mindfulness as a tool to manage emotional overreactivity, allowing you to perceive and respond to stress in a more grounded and aware way. This helps prevent emotional decisions often regretted later.
As a leader, prioritize connection before giving direction by being present, aware, and actively building relationships with your team members. This fosters trust and makes them more receptive to your guidance and leadership.
As a leader, demonstrate mindfulness by being authentic and present, giving your full attention to others, and openly practicing self-care. This sets a positive example and encourages your team to prioritize their own well-being.
Educate your team about their physiological stress response (e.g., clammy hands, racing heart) and teach them to ‘go to the cloud’—take deep breaths and step back before reacting. This empowers them to pause and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.
Daily strive to harmonize ’labor, laugh, learn, and love’ rather than trying to balance them, which can be an unrealistic expectation. Actively seek and appreciate these elements in your everyday life instead of postponing joy for future events.
At the end of the day, sit with your children, take two deep breaths together, and reflect on whether you ’labored, loved, laughed, and learned.’ This simple routine fosters connection and presence within the family.
When children are anxious or demanding (e.g., not wanting to go to bed), take a single deep breath to bring yourself to the present moment and maintain your calmness. Children often feed off parental anxiety, so a calm response can help them settle more quickly.
Carry a notebook to jot down tasks and thoughts as they arise, transferring them from your brain to a secure place. This practice helps quiet the mind by assuring it that important information won’t be forgotten, allowing for greater focus.
When focusing on a task, disable email notifications and other digital distractions to improve concentration and productivity. Multitasking by switching between tasks is inefficient and degrades performance.
Recognize that mind wandering consumes about 50% of our waking moments; by using mindfulness to sustain attention and minimize unintentional mental time travel, you can create more ‘white space’ and efficiency in your day.
When introducing new practices, especially in resistant environments, present scientific evidence that demonstrates their tangible benefits. For instance, highlight research showing how mindfulness protects cognitive function under high stress.
Believe in the possibility of second, third, or even fourth chances in life and career. After taking time to care for yourself, be prepared to re-engage and pursue new opportunities.
Become aware of the automatic, almost zombie-like urge to reach for your phone when experiencing boredom, loneliness, fatigue, or hunger. Consciously choose to ‘zone in’ on the present moment instead of seeking a dopamine hit from your device.
If you find yourself physically and emotionally exhausted, consider trying yoga as a sanctuary to find solitude and quiet. It can provide a space where you can simply ‘be’ without the demands of your various roles.
Do not rely on the self-help industry’s concept that merely thinking positively all the time will magically change your external world or solve all your problems. There is no evidence to suggest that this approach is effective.