Why sustainability is critical to your workload and the longevity of your organization
One of the first questions I ask when I start working with a new client is if they can keep doing this same level of work for the next year.
More often than not, the answer is no.
In any job, it is normal to be constantly reacting to what is happening in front of you. You might even think, when I have time I will design a better system for my team, or perhaps it’s my clients, team, and whoever else needs me so I need to do this right now.
But who is going to be able to do the work and be there for your employees when you’re burnt out?
This is especially critical for human or client-centered work. You simply won’t be able to show up for them if you’re burning the candle at both ends.
This often comes from thinking in the immediate future as opposed to long-term. That’s why I focus on sustainability.
Think about your past week, then think about how that differs from the past month. Is there always a little bit of chaos and stress? Because the thing is, if there is a consistent medium to high level of stress then your body is experiencing the corrosive effects of stress on an ongoing basis.
A very short overview on what happens to stress in the body: Stress releases cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, and shuts down all nonessential systems to prepare for the situation at hand to get ready to fight or flee. This was super useful back in the day when we may have been running from a cheetah, for example, but not really in the modern day. The body simply doesn’t know how to not tell itself that you’re not in danger, as the basic neurobiological response is the same in every situation. Continually releasing cortisol and preparing the body for battle then negatively impacts the immune and digestive systems on top of affecting mental wellbeing.
So now ask yourself, can you continue to complete your current workload as it has been everyday for the next year? Can your team? What might fall through the cracks if you try?
If not, it’s imperative to take a step back and see where you can create stronger and more efficient systems. There is always more than one way to get the work done. Maybe that means having more professional boundaries and maybe that means delegating tasks or strategically restructuring organizational practices and procedures.
And as leaders, it is your responsibility to make that happen. You owe it to yourself and to your team.
Revisioning the workload and an organization’s processes from a sustainability perspective is a critical shift in our mindset around urgency. It’s easy to focus on having to complete the tasks immediately because our clients, products, or employees need us. But isn’t it a more loving practice to say, I want to show up for you everyday so therefore I am going to create a sustainable system that will be able to do just that.
So how do we do that?
I work with companies to create better leadership practices focused on creating an organizational culture of wellbeing with sustainability at the center. By working closely together, we can strategically create efficient systems to result in better outcomes for your business and a thriving workforce. Click the links below to learn more!
