Creating healthy work habits in a fast-paced, demanding world isn’t easy. And yet when you focus on creating healthy habits, it can make the difference between a person who is managing healthy stress levels and the person who is heading for burnout. From my coaching sessions with many clients I see first-hand the impact focusing on the right things can make.
Wellbeing isn’t just about physical health, it’s also about having the ability to bounce back emotionally and mentally, when dealing with life’s challenges. In this blog we explore some practical ways to build healthy habits into your working day. I encourage you to reflect and add your own as you read through this.
1. Energy and time management
This is such an interesting concept, most of us focus on managing our time. However, I notice my clients work at all sorts of times of day, some even on a Sunday evening and they are thriving. This is because they understand their energy levels and when their most productive times of day to work are, as well as managing their time. Whilst weekend working might not be encouraged in the long run, what if you were to consider the working week from an energy perspective and notice when you are at your peak for work?
For example, one of my clients best planning times is on a Sunday evening, another’s on a Friday afternoon. Rather than living by a set of rules others have suggested, I encourage you to consider your own energy levels, not only about when you achieve particular work projects, but also when you prefer to exercise, rest or take breaks. These can then form a structure around the week that brings out the best of your energy rather than the worst.
2. Do, dump or delegate
I encourage you to consider your mindset to both your work and personal life. Many of us want to get through work and achieve great things quickly, as well as being helpful to others. This can lead us to completing tasks that aren’t ours to do or that we are we best placed to. Take an MD for example, who starts finding the best restaurant to meet a client that week, or arranging a meeting involving many stakeholders. Their Executive Assistant (EA) can do this in minutes, whereas the MD may take longer and be better placed to focus on other, more strategic work.
It might also lead to the EA feeling frustrated as they see these tasks as their role. This is a great example of where we get diverted in to doing work that isn’t ours and forgetting to delegate because we think we are saving time or being helpful. Creating a mindset where we interrogate each task to consider whether we do it, dump it or delegate can be a useful habit to deploy.
3. Routines
Creating a healthy rhythm and strategy to your week is powerful, because it reduces the cognitive load, as every decision we make consumes energy. Consider it as an automatic system of items that bring out the best in you, Examples include:
- An energising morning routine
- A regular lunch break
- Time in the diary each week to do something you enjoy
- Planning time
- Regular start and end times to the working day
- Time to catch up with friends
Some of my client’s colour code their diary to ensure there is enough “green space”, which is space for spontaneous tasks, thinking as well as self-care time such as going to the gym or walking the dog.
4. The power of the pause
Creating a habit of self-reflection allows you to digest the month. Reflect on your work achievements, how you handled things with your team and what your interactions were like, this provides thinking time to correct and adjust, becoming even more effective in the future. This is where coaching sessions can help, often providing that pause and thinking time to make space for changes and growth.
5. Relationship building
Creating a habit of connection rather than networking for networking’s sake can ensure you feel a sense of connection with others. Humans are social beings who value being part of our communities, so I encourage you to scope out how you can connect professionally in a way that nourishes you, builds partnerships and creates joy.
6. Tolerations, boundaries and daily habits
We know that burnout can creep up when we take on too much, too fast and we don’t allow ourselves time to rest. These three powerful habits can ensure we remain balanced even in the face of a busy work schedule.
Toleration is about noticing all the things you are putting up with. From the creaky garden gate, to the broken mug or to the friend who always says something about you that you don’t like albeit in good humour, tolerations are a way of noticing all the items that need your attention. By writing them down we can start to tackle them and this process can free up space both mentally and physically.
Boundaries are about ensuring others know how to get the best from you. For example, does your team know how you feel about being interrupted when you are head down in a project? Do you say yes to all social engagements when you would prefer to say no? This is about being honest with yourself and setting the boundaries that will help you thrive rather than just exist.
Daily habits are about instigating 3 to 5 small habits each day that bring you joy and set you up for success. From the hot cup of tea in the morning, walking the dog or the hot shower, any of these powerful routines that bring you joy and make you feel at your optimum are to be prioritised and savoured. You can also deploy monthly and weekly habits too.
In summary
Thriving in the workplace is not the result of talent alone, but of consistent, well-designed habits that support long-term performance. By managing energy as deliberately as time and creating a set of habits physically and mentally that help you thrive can ensure you are not only successful for the organisation, but you are also thriving personally as well.
Ultimately, healthy habits are not about working harder, but smarter, with intention. Small, repeatable behaviours, implemented consistently and reviewed regularly compound into resilience, credibility and career momentum. When aligned with clear boundaries and personal sustainability, these habits enable professionals not just to succeed, but to endure and lead in an inspiring way.
I’d love to hear how you get on and how you find the different approaches. If you would like some support building your healthy habits get in touch to see how 1:1 leadership coaching sessions could work for you.