De-stressing Strategies To Do Before Going Home

Life as a leader at any level in an organization is hard.  You are faced with unimaginable stress, pressure to perform, and unrelenting change in order to stay ahead against the competition. Do you have any de-stressing strategies to help make sure that you do not bring all that stress home with you?

A leader’s life is full of “taking the high road,” in every situation… Even during those times when you feel like just walking away from it all. You have to be the bigger person. Always. No Matter What.

Yes, this can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. And, yes it adds to the stress of being a leader… but NO that does not mean you can take any of this stress home with you! As I talk about in my book, It’s Already Inside, home is not the place to go to when you are tired of being nice to people.

What are you to do then?  How do you unwind and de-stress before you get home? How do you successfully maintain your work and life stresses separate and minimal? My suggestion – find a way to decompress every day from the pressure of being a leader.

Drinking, smoking, drugs, and binge eating junk food are NOT THE ANSWERS.  Decompressing from a crazy day needs to be done in a healthy and sustainable way, and that can happen in many different forms. For example, you can:

1. Go for a walk. Breathe in the fresh air. Meditate while you walk. Even take your dog with you if you have one – hit two birds with one stone.
2. Listen to your favorite music on your commute back home. Let yourself be completely consumed by the rhythm and sounds; remove yourself from whatever thoughts or situation made you stressed.
3. Take a Yoga class. Practice mindfulness and being in the moment.
4. Go to the gym. Run or squat out your stress!
5. Sit quietly at your desk and work on your plan for the next day. Be proactive in how you’re going to combat your stressors – NO EMAIL while you are doing this!
6. Simply remind yourself about what a great life you have. Write a “Gratitude List” of 5 things that you are grateful for.
7. Change your perspective. Instead of asking yourself, “Why is this happening TO me?” ask yourself, “Why is this happening FOR me?”

The stress of life as a leader is not going to go away.  It is a fact of our lives.  Since 2008, the world has got flatter, faster, and more competitive.  Customers want more.  Employees want more.  Shareholders want more.

Find your way to decompress so that you are a better leader for your organization and a better family member to those you love.

Robert Murray is a leadership expert, partner at Incrementa Consulting Inc., #1 Best Selling Author, and International Keynote Speaker. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and check his Strategy Consulting Services menuevents.