Take Care of Yourself
May 2023 Client Issue

May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and to reduce the stigma around mental illness. Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet it is often overlooked or dismissed.

It's essential to recognize that mental health is not just about the absence of mental illness. It's about having the resilience to cope with life's challenges, manage stress, build positive relationships, and make meaningful contributions to society. Mental health is a crucial component of overall health and well-being, I spend time prioritizing my mental health and I recommend that you, as my dear and valued clients, should prioritize it too.

This month, I want to encourage everyone to check in with their mental health and well-being.

As we are working on your business with EOS, achieving success in any area of life requires clear communication, goal-setting, and focus. However, it can be difficult to maintain clarity and focus amidst the chaos of the daily emails, text messages, and meetings: those 137 things coming at you all at once I talked about when we started our journey together. That's why taking intentional breaks to re-center and commit to clarity can be so essential and beneficial.

Here are a few tips for incorporating clarity breaks into your routine:

• Schedule breaks into your day and week: Set aside designated times in your calendar for breaks that allow you to step back, clear your mind, and refocus on your goals.
• Disconnect from technology: In today's always-connected world, it's easy to get distracted by all those notifications. It takes our mind 15 minutes to get back to what we were doing before we got interrupted, so taking a break from technology can help you clear your mind and stay focused on your priorities.
• Engage in activities that bring you joy: Whether it's taking a walk outside or practicing meditation, engaging in activities that make you feel happy and fulfilled can help you maintain clarity and focus.
• Write down your personal goals and priorities: We write down business goals using the VTO, and setting rocks for each quarter.  Make a personal VTO and write down your individual goals and priorities. I know people who use the VTO to get their family on the same page and heading in the same direction.  Take time during your clarity breaks to review and update your lists.

Committing to clarity breaks can help you achieve greater success in all areas of life. By taking intentional time to refocus and prioritize your goals, you can overcome distractions and stay on track towards your desired outcomes.

Self-care is an essential aspect of maintaining good mental health and well-being. For me, it involves taking deliberate consistent actions to promote my physical, mental, and emotional health, and not forgetting Component #5 from the EOS Life: Having Time for Other Passions.

Here are some tips I find useful:

Practice self-care: Make sure to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and engaging in activities that you enjoy.

Connect with others: Social connections are crucial for mental health. Make an effort to spend time with friends and family, join a club or group, or volunteer in your community.

Manage stress: Stress can have a significant impact on mental health, so it's essential to find ways to manage stress. This may involve techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing, or journaling.

Set boundaries: Setting boundaries can help you manage stress and protect your mental health. This may involve saying no to certain commitments or limiting your time spent on social media or other activities that may be causing stress. (No more Instagram for me this year!)

Practice gratitude: Focusing on the positive things in your life and practicing gratitude can help improve your mental health. Try keeping a gratitude journal, where you write down things you're thankful for each day.

In the back of your EOS Leadership Team Manual is a toolbox section containing all the tools we will deploy to help you elevate your business.  I have found it useful to build my own toolbox of skills, techniques and frameworks I need to help me with the self-care practices listed above.

Each of you is unique and will resonate with different tools, so I would encourage you to try things out and see what works for you.  If you want some pointers or places to start, reach out and I can give you some recommendations for tools I have found helpful on my journey.