The drive to thrive in the corporate world is something we all aim for.
It is not always the aim to lead or the desire to put forward your skills and expertise to show you want to outshine the competition. It is the wish to contribute to the betterment of not only your team and colleagues but also your clients. And in the end, your family and friends.
The thin line some of us think exists between a life-work relationship. Or a work-life balance is a discussion that has inundated the internet. We all have our theories and practices in place. How to juggle from an early-morning wake-up call to a late-night moment of feet-up before bedtime.
It is the time between sunrise and sunset as the productive factor to support our family and contribute to the success of a business. Except those working irregular shifts and having night duties. I laud those able to perform during shifts because I simply would not be able to do this (tried and failed).
Those saying they truly can disconnect from work, I have my own opinion about this. However, I do respect the efforts of these ladies and gentlemen to switch off and go into family mode without a single moment of checking your email or replying to Slack chats.
Society is changing and with that comes a renewed definition of how we define that life-work / work-life homeostatic rhythm.
Fortunately, a few companies understand that a disconnect from following SOPs and delivering according to KPIs is essential. These organizations do not allow employees to access their work email when on holiday. They block mobile telephones and have backup plans and processes in place when a team player is off to enjoy the sun, hike the mountains, or hit the slopes.
Yet some entrepreneurs thrive being online and on the ball all the time. And also that is perfectly fine as we all have our purposes and wishes to ensure we keep our customers happy. These sources of inspiration sacrifice a lot to make sure their employees are prioritized. Additionally, they do get what they need to perform their duties and succeed.
The success of being a leader.
An inspiration to translate one’s vision, mission and core values into the well-being of others are some very admirable choices one can make.
In short, there is no right or wrong in whatever you feel feels right when balancing the scales between life and work. In whatever order you place these two words in. We are still discussing whether there is a right way or a lesser-preferred way to fill in your seven days a week. I firmly believe this will go on for a while in this century.
Just like the right diet, there is no right way to lead by example and shut off when the time is right.
There is no denying that our society is changing. We are living in a society where we are connected more than ever before. Where automatization is seen as an essential supporter and driver to conduct more efficient and effective business. Where data is seen as a new currency. Creativity in product and service delivery, positioning and engagement, SEO and SEM, API and XML integrations.
We demand more to deliver more efficiently in less time.
In today’s fast-forward world, we cannot stay behind or stay the same because it will affect our results. And thus our team can’t, too. And in the end, even our family. Like a pressure cooker, the heat is on more than ever. And the pressure is building up.
The revolution of modernization is a fact, not fiction. The achievements that have engulfed our society on all levels exceed any industrial revolution in a magnitude of unmeasurable proportions. And we are not seeing the end of it, according to many analysts and disrupters of the market.
Is this merging when we are working and when we are not?
It can be.
New ways of dealing with these changes have resulted in an explosion of training, seminars, coaching sessions ,and lecturers about how we as a society can ride the wave of modernisation. We know more about the human psyche than ever before because of our advancements in technology and science.
And from anyone’s perspective, running a business in the 1990s versus how we do it now has changed rapidly. The same as how we live our lives before 9 am and 5 pm. Even this is no longer a standard measure as flexible working is growing at a rapid pace. Or creating your own “ideal’ working space as the new norm. The experiences with a 4-day working week are exploding as well due to the benefits of what rest and respite do for you.
The latter one is what I am going for.
While we embrace new technology and advances in commerce, the revolution we’re in is not translated to our bodies. For centuries, our body has slowly evolved to be an efficient engine that holds everything we hold dear.
Highlight the word ‘evolved’.
The contradiction of what we are catapulted into these days does not compute with our most sacred and optimal means to function whatever we do.
Which is our body.
One part of our daily lives is seen and defined as a revolution. The other part is the result of evolution.
We demand more from our 24 hours but are you, as a leader and sanctuary of your vision, mission and core values able to translate that towards a healthier environment that benefits our most valuable asset?
Our health?
You can claim, discuss and come up with reasons why time is money in terms of performance and not letting down your co-workers is a priority. But when you are ignoring the signs that without proper health, you cannot lead by example, is it worth riding the revolutionary wave for the sake of this?
Our bodies do not adapt to what the exterior world throws at us. It simply won’t. You can speed it up by supplementing the crap out of it; the results will be devastating in the end.
With anything in life, it always starts with you. It will always start with your health, be it mentally or physically. Period.
You can make up for lost time or earn some more money via other means when something is not going according to plan. Any time you avoid spending on your health is money wasted. It is the most valuable commodity you have as a team leader, a visionary, and an entrepreneur.
And if you are determined to lead by example, start with what is the foundation of performance and inspiration. An asset that has more value to drive, coach, and support whatever you do. Be it work-related or when having dinner in the comfort of your home.
So ask yourself the question before turning on your computer; are you healthy enough to inspire?
A healthy outside starts from the inside | Robert Urich
