What do you do if your mental and emotional well-being is at risk in a demanding business strategy role?

My experience in the high-stakes field of corporate strategy has shown me how important it is to recognise stress. The burden of having to make decisions all the time might show itself as small indicators like impatience, a persistent feeling of exhaustion, and a loss of focus. When you begin to interpret these signals as markers of your humanity and the extreme demands of our profession rather than as symptoms of weakness, it's a turning point. Ironically, one of our biggest assets is that we can embrace this vulnerability. It provides access to methods and approaches that can greatly reduce our workload and improve our output.

If the demands of your professional role are taking a toll on your well-being, it's time to prioritise self-care and seek support. Take breaks, set boundaries, and lean on your support network. Our health is our greatest asset, so make time for activities that nourish your soul. Reflect on your overall happiness and fulfilment. Your well-being is the key to unlocking your full potential and success in both your personal and professional life.

1. Self-awareness and Acknowledgment: Recognizing and acknowledging the impact of the demanding role on mental and emotional well-being. 2. Seeking Support: Reaching out to mentors, colleagues, or professional networks for guidance and support. 3. Establishing Boundaries: Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout and maintain balance. 4. Stress Management Techniques: Incorporating stress-relief practices such as mindfulness, exercise, or hobbies to manage pressure effectively. 5. Seeking Professional Help: Consulting with mental health professionals or therapists for personalized support and coping strategies.

Corporate stressors are real but it acts spontaneously with social stressors. Social stressors are signals or behavioral manifestations that are related to physical or psychological strain especially in business interactions. Acknowledging stress and its signals is important for individual output most especially in areas of mental well being and as well as maintaining work/life balance. Identifying stressors reflects one's humanness, vulnerability and how to adopt coping strategies. Adopting coping mechanism such as Boundary setting is key strategy as work or activity inducing stress doesn't stop. Identify signals/stressors, set boundaries and set priorities. This will help define balance and drive business success

If your mental and emotional well-being is at risk in a demanding business strategy role, prioritize self-care by establishing boundaries between work and personal life, seeking support from colleagues, friends, or professionals, practicing stress-management techniques such as mindfulness or exercise, communicating openly with your employer about your challenges, exploring flexible work arrangements or workload adjustments, and considering professional counseling or therapy to address underlying issues and regain balance and resilience in managing the demands of your role.

I've discussed setting boundaries with everyone that has ever worked for me (or with me, for that matter). There will ALWAYS be more work. That's a fact. But there are only so many mornings that we wake up on this side of the ground, and that needs to sink in. Make the most out of your career to satisfy your needs for accomplishments, but never prioritize that over the needs to create meaningful connections with people, like your significant other, your family, and those friends who will be there when you need them.

Strategic Unplugging: -Create Tech-Free Zones: Establish areas in your workspace where technology is a no-go. It fosters creativity and reduces digital fatigue. -Scheduled Disconnects: Implement mandatory periods where you and your team disconnect from work-related digital communications. It encourages rest and rejuvenation.

Setting boundaries is paramount for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. I've learned that clearly defining my working hours and personal time helps me stay focused and avoid burnout. By communicating these boundaries with my team, I ensure that everyone respects my downtime, allowing me to recharge and bring my best self to both work and life. Remember, prioritising self-care is key to long-term success!

As an entrepreneur, seeking support is invaluable. It provides diverse perspectives, enriching my decision-making process and offering insights I may overlook. Support networks offer guidance, mentorship, and resources to navigate challenges efficiently. They provide encouragement during tough times and celebrate successes, fostering motivation and resilience. Moreover, connecting with fellow entrepreneurs cultivates a sense of community, where ideas flourish, collaborations arise, and opportunities abound. In essence, seeking support is a strategic investment in my growth and success.

As you mature in your career, you'll likely find more need to approach your work, and your life, as a team sport. You may be brilliant, but gathering multiple perspectives from your peers and those who have more experience will be invaluable to expanding your own experience and will lead to a much better outcome for your clients, whether internal or external.

Seeking support has been a game changer for me in navigating the complexities of my business strategy role. Whether it's leaning on mentors for guidance, confiding in peers for solidarity, or seeking professional coaching/mentoring for a fresh perspective, I've found immense value in reaching out for help. By sharing experiences with those who understand the unique demands of my role, I've gained validation and empowerment. Remember, you're not alone in this journey,seeking support can make all the difference.

This may sound overly simplistic, but in a field as demanding as ours, the basics can easily become casualties. Prioritizing basics like regular sleep, healthy nutrition, and even brief moments of physical activity throughout the day are crucial in maintaining long-term resilience. These are not luxuries, but essential investments in our ability to continue delivering top-notch care and strategic thinking.

Embracing flexibility has been a game changer for me in navigating the ever-changing landscape of business strategy. By remaining open to new approaches and solutions, I've found innovative ways to tackle challenges and drive success. This mindset extends beyond the boardroom; I've learned to adapt my self-care practices to better suit my evolving needs. Remember, embracing flexibility isn't just about staying ahead in businessit's about prioritising your well-being and thriving in every aspect of life.

Healthcare environments are inherently unpredictable. While having structure and a clear plan is important, so is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances without the need for perfect control. As I've grown in my career, I've begun to appreciate the skill of setting priorities, then finding creative ways to address them even when unexpected obstacles arise. Flexibility prevents the rigidity that can often lead to increased stress and burnout.

It is easy to feel overrun by the urgency of tasks and demands, losing sight of the bigger picture and our own well-being. Workplace culture, the demands of a boss, and the expectations of colleagues can also contribute to an environment that is inherently stressful. Maintaining perspective, managing time effectively, and drawing boundaries are all important skills to manage your workload and maintain strong performance. Let's also acknowledge that sometimes, the healthiest option is to realize that a particular job or workplace culture is not the right fit for both for maintaining our well-being and ensuring our best performance and make informed decisions about what environments we choose to engage with.

In the relentless push towards strategic objectives, healthcare professionals can easily neglect our own inner well-being. It's tempting to dismiss this as 'soft' compared to the tangible metrics of business, but the two are deeply connected. Like a Kyudo practitioner, we can't aim true if our mind is everywhere. This isn't about grand life overhauls. For me, it's about mindful pauses woven into demanding days. Short breathing exercises between meetings to re-center, introspective journaling before bed, or even a 10-minute walk in nature to quiet the mind's constant churn. These might seem like small interventions, but they offer a surprising level of clarity and prevent the slow creep of burnout that can sabotage our best-laid plans.

Uma coisa que aprendi a considerar é que eu não sou o meu trabalho. Por mais gratificante que seja a atividade que estou desenvolvendo isso não sou eu. então o impacto no emocional é neutralizado. Agora se eu não consigo me desconectar do meu desempenho profissional de nenhuma forma eu esgoto minha capacidade mental de forma muito mais rápida e enérgica e isso, com certeza, é terrível e temeroso. As sanidades são os fundamentos primordiais na condução da nossa jornada diária nas múltiplas funções humanas.

Develop emotional intelligence. Through it one will build a responsive vs reactive behavior. Strategic decision require conscious decision making which is draining on an already limited daily capacity of that energy. Rebuild that energy through meditative practices (meditation, walks, swimming etc). Assuming you are a leader as well, in that case use Theory of Constraints on yourself. Adopt coaching leadership to reduce workload and decision making to people who are closer to the information at hand.