As we hit the last Friday before Christmas, I am sure many of you are feeling like it has been a long term. The oft quoted comment of ‘if we wouldn’t let our phone battery run out, why would we let our own?’ springs to mind.
Many of you will have been reflecting on achievements and lessons from 2025 and how you can best start 2026 to be as impactful as possible, and rightly so. But, I want to also encourage some personal as well as professional reflection, as that too will help you be impactful and help you to avoid burnout.
So, ask yourself, what percentage is your personal battery now? How has that come about? The fabulous @Carolyn Parker once talked me through the concept of ‘fuels and drains’ – what fuels your energy and what drains your energy?
So for example:
- Does spending time with people fuel you or drain you?
- Does that third cup of coffee fuel you or drain you?
- Do you need some positive people around you to counter those who have a preference to be negative?
- Do you need to see results or do you enjoy thinking in the abstract and theory and ideas?
- Who do you feel ‘boosted’ after seeing? Junior members of the team? Your mentor?
- How much time do you need outdoors to feel rejuvenated and fuelled?
Take time to think:
- What fuels and drains you?
- As you think about your calendar for the last month or the last term, how much of that included fuel versus drains?
- How can you shape your calendar for 2026 to include more fuel?
- What role do you, and can you, play in creating a safe environment for healthy and honest conversations about resilience and wellbeing amongst your teams?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
For more articles, encouraging you to think and be the change – visit here.