Written by: Santarvis Brown, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
How often do you go into work feeling like your world is closing in on you? Is it a difficult time getting the kids ready for school? Do you have trouble paying the bills? Are you having marital problems? Life has its good days. But for many people – including yourself – life can also be frustrating. Life can be a huge headache.
How do you lead your team to perform its best when your team members have their own headaches? And even more challenging is, how can you be the aspirin to your team when you have your own headaches?
As a leader, you can compare yourself to a first aid cabinet. There are symptoms everywhere and part of your job is to apply the aid needed to fix the problems. Does a fix require a Band-Aid? Or are there other personal and work-related stressors that require an aspirin?
Here are three ways that you, as a leader, can practice being the proverbial Aspirin when you have a headache too.
1. Take Time to Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is all about focusing on the present. In short, you can’t do anything to change the past and the future is highly unpredictable. Focusing on the present and what you can do now is the mindful spirit. Focus on the tasks at hand rather than overwhelming yourself with past mistakes or future challenges. It doesn’t hurt to step into your office or a quiet place, close your eyes, and focus on sounds around you in their minutest detail. This is a good practice to keep you focused on the now.
2. Genuinely Listen to Your Employees’ Problems
We need to remember that everyone has challenges in their life. Even people who walk into the office with a box of donuts and a bright smile may be having a bad day. The key is to be available when your employees’ need to get something off their chest. Most people just need someone to listen. And guess what? Learning to be a good listener is also a great way to relate to your team and can even help you manage your own headaches.
3. Let Everyone Take-5
Studies are starting to show that companies that focus on work-life balance outperform a work-dominant approach many workers are challenged with. Like a yawn, when one person is having a bad day, the mood in the office gets passed from one person to another. When you begin to see this pattern in your workgroup don’t be afraid to give everyone a break. Smaller teams can go out for lunch together. If you have a larger team, give everyone an extra fifteen-minute break, order in ice cream bars. Anything different and positive will help to lighten everyone’s load.
Conclusion
We all have challenging days. And when you have a headache don’t forget it is likely others around you are too. Practice mindfulness to lighten your mental load. Let others know you are genuinely interested in listening to what they need to say. And don’t be afraid to just let everyone chill for a few minutes and come back fresh.
Santarvis Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Santarvis Brown has spent 15+ years serving as a leader, innovator, and changemaker in education, showcasing in-depth insight as an administrator, educator, and program director. A noted speaker, researcher, and full professor, he has lent his speaking talent to many community and educational forums, serving as a keynote speaker. He has also penned several publications tackling issues in civic service, faith, leadership, and education.
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