Get Back to Basics

Health and wellbeing mean you win every time

Hello!

Are you feeling like I am? My summer visitors have all returned to work, and the evenings are so chilly that we’ve already used the fire pit. It’s September–time to get back in the swing of things!

I don’t know about you, but my habits took a slight nosedive between the heat, holiday travel, and houseguests. With my manuscript due to the publisher before Christmas and a new cohort of Project Opus beginning in January, I’m ready to make the most of what’s left of 2024. Are you?

If your children have just returned to school or you’re ramping up again at work after the holiday season, this letter is for you. If, by chance, you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you’re still going through a seasonal transition, the tips I’m sharing could help you stay on track in the coming months. LinkedIn also recently asked me to share my tips for resetting at work after the holidays or a quieter period; you can read those here.

So, here’s the ONLY thing I’m doing to optimize myself for the sustained focus and energy I need for my work (cue drumroll): Getting Back to Basics. 

Why? Because it works every time.

Just like perfect placement, watering, fertilizing, and pruning the plants in my garden supports healthy bloom production; each of us has a recipe for self-care and wellbeing that works best for us. If you know yours, it’s a great time to dust it off or refine it to suit your pace and needs between now and the end of the year. And, if you don’t yet have a self-care recipe, September is a great time to create one. 

Your self-care and wellbeing recipe should support you in showing up, taking action, and feeling how you want to feel each day. 

In the HBR article, The Making of the Corporate Athlete, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz share their research and practices, providing evidence that how you tend to your needs on all levels—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—influences your energy, emotional state, relationships, and overall performance. Even one area out of whack can take a toll on you. So, make sure that your recipe covers all of those areas.

Here are three steps you can take to get started

• Assess your life: What demands must I be prepared for at work and home?

• Imagine your desired state: How do I want to feel as I engage in my life daily? As I interact with people? As I focus on my work? As I deliver a presentation? As I say good night to my children? (You get the idea here.)

• Determine how you might attain your desired state: 

  • What do I need to show up in that way? 

  • What movement/exercise do I need, and how often? 

  • What kind of food/nutrition? 

  • Do I need alone time? 

  • Do I need dedicated time without my phone or my laptop? 

  • Should I give up alcohol at certain times of the week or altogether?

  • Do I need time to curl up with a book or Netflix?

  • How much sleep do I need?

  • What kind of breaks might I need throughout the day?

  • Would meditation help me?

  • Which people can best support me in feeling this way?

As you look at your overall life load and what you need to show up well, chances are you’ll need to simplify at least one area of your life.

Here are some reframing questions to help you begin to simplify:

• Which activities truly require my attention?

• Which activities capitalize on my Zone of Genius?

• How might I further streamline my life or work to better support me?

• Who might I ask for help? Or delegate to? Or hire so I can have more time to care for my needs and priorities?

• Can I develop a simple way to reframe or reset when things aren’t going as planned?

Now, take your answers to these questions and develop a simple plan, your unique recipe for self-care and wellbeing.

If you’re new at this, once you’ve developed your plan (see my simple version below), you may find it helpful to schedule what you can of it into your calendar (e.g. rest, exercise, alone time) and place the plan somewhere you can always see it. As you build habits, you’ll no longer need the visual reminder. 

You now have a clear idea of what you need to show up at your best. Initially, consider your self-care and wellbeing plan aspirational and ideal but not optional. This is so you don’t get frustrated with yourself if you fall off track; life always intervenes, and we all fall off track sometimes. In this article, I share how I lost my habits but got back on track.

Another common challenge is putting yourself first–ahead of your family and clients, for example. If you’re struggling to do so, please check out this popular article I wrote, which will help you do so. And, if you’re feeling overwhelmed at any time, you might find this article helpful.

I hope you are feeling more ready to jumpstart the rest of 2024 by getting back to basics.  Looking ahead, you’ll hear from me more often as Live Your Opus enters a new phase; I’ve got several new offerings cooking up right now–I can’t wait to share them with you! 

In the meantime, you’ll find highlights from my self-care and wellbeing plan below. I don’t have mine written down anymore; it’s deeply ingrained in me, but I’ve typed up some of it to share with you. 😊

What does your self-care and wellbeing plan look like? What works best for you? Where are you struggling? I’d love for you to share in the comments below, and we can chat. 👇

Until next time, Live Your Opus!