Learn effective ways to practice self-care and resilience as a servant leader. Discover how to align with your purpose, set boundaries, seek feedback, cultivate gratitude, and recharge.

Spend at least an hour at the start of the week and an hour at the end of the week, reflecting on your purpose, short term goals and long term goals. This can help you align for and prioritize what’s most important in the week.

What are the most effective ways to maintain your energy and enthusiasm as a servant leader?

Servant leadership is a powerful approach to leading and influencing others with a focus on serving their needs, empowering them, and fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. However, being a servant leader can also be demanding and exhausting, especially in challenging or uncertain situations. How can you maintain your energy and enthusiasm as a servant leader without burning out or losing your passion? Here are some effective ways to practice self-care and resilience as a servant leader.

1 Know your purpose

One of the key sources of motivation and inspiration for servant leaders is having a clear and compelling purpose that aligns with their values and vision. Your purpose is what drives you to serve others and make a positive difference in the world. To maintain your energy and enthusiasm, you need to remind yourself of your purpose regularly and connect it with your daily actions and goals. You can also share your purpose with your team and stakeholders and invite them to join you in pursuing it.

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Prerna Mathews

VP, ETF Product Strategy
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Spend at least an hour at the start of the week and an hour at the end of the week, reflecting on your purpose, short term goals and long term goals. This can help you align for and prioritize what’s most important in the week.

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Enrico Petersen

Career Coach | Leadership and Team Coach | Social Impact Leader| Head of Corporate Partnership
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Setting clear boundaries is important. Knowing when to actively contribute and to what extent your capacity allows. This helps with prioritizing and understanding that you too need to look after yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup

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2 Set healthy boundaries

Another essential aspect of self-care for servant leaders is setting healthy boundaries that respect your own and others' time, energy, and resources. Boundaries help you avoid overcommitting, overextending, or overstepping your role and responsibilities. They also help you balance your personal and professional life and prioritize your well-being. To set healthy boundaries, you need to communicate them clearly and assertively, enforce them consistently, and negotiate them when necessary.

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Natalya Tarasova

Helping You Find and Lead Your Path | Insightful Guidance Meets Bold Exploration | Coaching for Deep, Lasting Growth
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Boundaries imply that there is a limit around something. From a coaching perspective, if you would like to deepen your relationship with your boundaries, you can start with looking into the following question: 1. What do you want to set boundaries around? 2. What makes it important to set boundaries? 3. Who will you be if you do it? 4. Is there anyone who can support you on this journey? 5. How will you feel one year from now if you succeed setting your boundaries? 6. How or in which way can you set your boundaries? 7. How will you communicate your boundaries and to whom? Best luck exploring your unique boundaries! 😃

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3 Seek feedback and support

As a servant leader, you are always looking for ways to improve yourself and serve others better. However, you also need to acknowledge your strengths and achievements and celebrate your progress and impact. Seeking feedback and support from your team, peers, mentors, or coaches can help you gain valuable insights, perspectives, and suggestions for your growth and development. It can also help you feel appreciated, validated, and encouraged.

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4 Cultivate gratitude and positivity

A positive mindset can help you cope with stress, challenges, and setbacks and maintain your enthusiasm and optimism. One of the best ways to cultivate a positive mindset is to practice gratitude regularly. Gratitude helps you appreciate what you have, what you do, and who you serve. It also helps you recognize the opportunities, resources, and connections that are available to you. You can practice gratitude by writing down what you are thankful for, expressing your appreciation to others, or reflecting on your successes and learnings.

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Kimberly J. Snider

Entrepreneur: Leadership Coach, People & Culture HR Consultant & OVERFLOW Podcast Host
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1. I express gratitude as my coffee pours into my mug in the morning! My goal is to send appreciation out to 3 people or events (little, big ones too) that I am truly grateful for. Then … savour each sip of the warm cup of coffee! 2. The second habit I am cultivating is sending thoughts of sincere kindness when someone doesn’t show up for a meeting, is late, or shows up grumpy … my first reaction (consciously) is to be kind and grateful for them… (who knows what’s really going on for them … beneath it all!) Hope that’s helpful! Kim

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5 Recharge and renew

Finally, as a servant leader, you need to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. You need to recharge and renew your energy and enthusiasm by engaging in activities that nourish your body, mind, and spirit. These activities can include exercise, meditation, hobbies, reading, learning, or volunteering. You can also recharge and renew by taking breaks, vacations, or sabbaticals to rest, relax, and rejuvenate.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Paul Backhouse CMgr MCMI

Therapeutic counsellor , mentor, coach, archaeologist and wood carver.
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Two tips. Balance in all things,there is no such thing as work life balance instead there is balance. Balance creativity with the mundane, balance hard work with rest. “It’s about the people stupid” - be with the,, know them, listen to them. Knowing what they need to thrive will help you thrive.

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What are the most effective ways to maintain your energy and enthusiasm as a servant leader?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your purpose

2 Set healthy boundaries

3 Seek feedback and support

4 Cultivate gratitude and positivity

5 Recharge and renew

6 Here’s what else to consider

Servant Leadership

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What are the most effective ways to maintain your energy and enthusiasm as a servant leader?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your purpose

2 Set healthy boundaries

3 Seek feedback and support

4 Cultivate gratitude and positivity

5 Recharge and renew

6 Here’s what else to consider

Servant Leadership

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