Several months ago I had to take prescribed medicine for my sinuses, not knowing the side effects. It turns out one of the potential side effects was depression. For more than a week, I was not myself—no energy, no motivation, low focus, spacing out. I stopped taking it when I realized the connection.

As someone with high energy and relentless optimism, this experience brought a powerful message: my mental health is my biggest asset! It's easy to take this for granted.

Mental health is the foundation on which you build all of your other leadership skills. If you don't take care of yourself mentally, you won't be able to perform at your best and be there for others.

🧠 Daily Mental Hygiene Habits

Effective leaders practice mental health habits daily. Here are some of my anchors:

📵 Tech-Free Mornings: Spend the first hour of your day without your phone & news. Give your brain time to reflect and focus without early distractions.

🧘‍♀️ Meditation: 5-10 min a day will bring you calmness and clarity. If you are a beginner, try THIS

🧘‍♂️ Yoga Nidra: A powerful mid-day tool for regaining focus & clarity. Try THIS

💪 Quick Workouts: Even 5 minutes a day can be transformative. Action is the antidote for anxiety! Try THIS 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Quality Time: I take every other Friday off to spend quality time with my wife. Carving special time with your loved ones is very important for anchoring yourself in who you are. They are your primary supporters.

📝 Reflective Journaling: make meaning of what happened to you daily to process it better. Read more: Reflective Journaling

Practicing these habits will make you more energetic, less anxious, more focused, and emotionally present for your family, friends, and colleagues.

🌟Lead by Example

Great leaders inspire others to practice mental hygiene too! Encourage your team to adopt some of these habits, but there are a few other things you could do:

🗣️ If you notice someone feeling down, struggling, anxious, or stressed out, reach out to them individually and have a conversation. Listen, understand, and provide support.

🚶‍♀️ Consider having walking meetings, as walks can have tremendous benefits for mental health.

🙏 Remember to express gratitude. Research shows that receiving gratitude has an amazing impact on our self-esteem and state of mind.

✅ Action Item!

In your next meeting, whether you're a team lead or not, suggest starting with the question "How are you, really?" One of my students proposed this a year ago, and it led to honest sharing in the class about the pressures students face. As a result, two students sought office hours & counseling support, which they wouldn't have done without this check-in. 

📚 Book of the Week: Explore the intersection of mental health & leadership with Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Here are several insights: 

Vulnerability is a Strength: Brown challenges the misconception that vulnerability is a weakness. In leadership, showing vulnerability is a strength. It involves the courage to be imperfect, to ask for help, and to talk about emotions, which fosters authentic connection and trust in teams.

Clear is Kind, Unclear is Unkind: Effective communication is crucial. Brown emphasizes the importance of being clear, honest, and direct in conversations, even if they are tough. This approach prevents misunderstandings and builds a culture of transparency and respect.

Embrace the Suck: Acknowledge that discomfort and learning go hand-in-hand. When leading through tough situations or change, it's important to accept and lean into the discomfort instead of avoiding it. This mindset helps in navigating challenges and growing from them.

💫 Help someone become a better leader by sharing this newsletter with anyone who you think might benefit from it: New Subscribers Link

✊ Until next time, give yourself, your mind, and your mental health the best possible treatment it deserves!