Full disclosure, I’m writing this post from an airport heading to a much-needed vacation somewhere warm and tropical. For me, this trip isn’t so much about travel as it is about the need to rest. I realize that I’m drained and need time to recharge and relax. This is key for me being a strong leader for my team in the new year.
Why Rest Matters
As a creative: Rest helps us find our creative juices. It’s hard to continually come up with unique approaches and solutions when drained. Instead, time away allows us to reset and see inspiration in a variety of places. (It’s why sometimes when you step away from the work, you get inspired by something you see and come up with lots of good ideas.)
As a leader: Rest helps ensure we are able to pour into others. I struggle to support others when I’m behind in work, tired, or struggling personally. Taking time away on occasion for rest helps me to be a supportive leader that can pour into the team and provide needed advice or insight.
As a person: Rest is important to our psyche. It’s hard to show up to work or with our tribe when we’re physically or emotionally exhausted. Rest helps us be the best version of ourselves. We care about our work and our people, but if we are worn out, we tend to take our stress and exhaustion out on the people around us.
My Own Need for Rest
While I’ve always believed in the value of rest, this semester has shown me how important rest is for a few reasons. First, I had a fair amount of internal change. We had people move on for new opportunities, and at the same time had the chance to centralize marketing efforts. This means we are getting to add a leadership layer to the organizational chart, which will help us work more effectively. Long-term, that’s going to be amazing for me and for the university. Right now, we are in the messy middle of that transition. The number of my direct reports has nearly doubled this semester. Additionally, onboarding new hires has meant a significant portion of my time has been focused on the tactical work.
Second, I oversee the Freedom of Information Act at my institution. We had many more FOIA requests this semester than we’ve seen in other semesters. That meant I spent a large amount of my time make sure we met our obligations to the requesters. These requests are usually time-sensitive, which makes it difficult to plan for these.
Third, I was in a pretty bad wreck at the beginning of the semester. While not my fault, I bore the brunt of the impact. It totaled my car, and I had pain for weeks. As a result, I was navigating this and having to meet with insurance adjusters, test drive new vehicles, and schedule multiple doctor’s visits. I’m fine now. However, it definitely took a toll on me and took some time to dig out of.
Why am I sharing all of this?
I think this semester helped me fully realize that often the pressures we face aren’t about one major crisis. Instead, it’s many small things that add up. The sustained nature of challenges is what drives our need for rest. Any one of the above things would be okay. However, putting all of them together over time, the impact is really significant.
I also want to be candid about leadership for those who are considering this path. Too often, as leaders, we focus on all the great and wonderful things. It’s much more fun to talk about the fun part of the work. However, it’s also really important to talk about the hard times and the challenges. That helps others to understand the full picture of being a leader.
Our teams also benefit when we can share what we’re facing. While I understand we can’t share everything, being able to talk about some things with our teams shows our humanity and helps demonstrate how we manage through difficulties. It’s an opportunity to model the behavior we want them to exhibit.
Rest is Responsible
Rest isn’t a weakness. Rest is really strategic. Being self-aware enough to know when to pull back to take care of ourselves and to be in a position to support our teams is something I didn’t value enough in my early days as a leader. As I’ve become more seasoned, I’ve gotten comfortable with the idea that it’s important to build in time to do what recharges you.
Three Ways to Rest
Physical rest – This can involve those days of staying in bed, watching lots of T.V., reading a book, or just lounging around the house. This is my favorite kind of rest when I’m sick.
Creative rest – This involves finding a creative hobby that you enjoy (not work-related) and doing that. Whether it’s cooking, painting, going on a walk, or something else, the goal is to step away from the work and do something that brings you joy to clear your mind.
Experiential rest – One of my favorite ways to rest is to experience new things. Seeing new places and having new adventures helps me experience new approaches to the world, which allows me to have a renewed sense of energy and perspective.
How Will You Rest?
Regardless of the path you choose, it’s important to get some rest this holiday season. I hope you’ll take time away from the mundane and find a way to rest that works well for you!
Feel free to drop a note in the comments to share how you plan to rest this holiday season.
And Carrie On 