Finding Your Rhythm in Life and Leadership
Lately I’ve been focussing on rhythm. I’m not talking about the type of rhythm you need on a dance floor. I’ve got that covered and don’t need any help in that department. Haha! I’m talking about the rhythm of my life, my business, my family. I want to develop my own beat.
You see, over the last couple of years, there has been some changes in my life. I’ve spent some time reflecting on the past, getting to know myself again, trying new things and new approaches and I feel as though I’m ready to find my rhythm again. I feel like I’ve been a little out of tune and I’ve been working hard to fix it.
I’ve identified and scheduled in my daily chorus and also my verses to slot in between. My everyday chorus consists of a number of important activities. For example, there is an hour of writing first thing in the day, time at night with the kids, time for me, and time for the necessities - school runs, email management, housework - the fun stuff! Then there are the verses in between which consist of project and design work, presentations, mentoring sessions, workshops and social events.
I’m finding that this rhythm is working for me and I’m feeling more productive, focussed and happier. So, what’s your rhythm like at the moment?
At different parts of our life, our rhythm will be different. Sometimes it will be fast and upbeat, other times slower. Sometimes our rhythm will be very regular and follows a pattern, at other times it’s more random. What you need to discover is the right rhythm for you for right now.
As a leader, it is not only your personal rhythm that’s important but also the rhythm for your team and your organisation. Verne Harnish in his book, ‘Mastering the Rockefeller Habits’, writes
“To make more than just a lot of noise in your business, you’ve got to have rhythm. And the faster you want to grow, the faster you have to pulse. At the heart of executive team performance is a rhythm of tightly run daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual huddles and meetings.”
Effective leaders take responsibility for developing this rhythm. They make it a priority and ensure that it is followed diligently, even in the busiest of times.
Why is having the right rhythm important? It gives you a framework for your life and reconnects you with the important things - the things that matter most. This results in less stress and anxiety and gives you focus to your day and week. The right rhythm frees up your time, energy and headspace to explore and grow. You get the chance to be creative and find out what else is possible. Rhythm also gets you moving forward in the right direction!
So, it's time to ask yourself:
1. What is the current rhythm of your life and your leadership? Describe it.
2. Does your rhythm feel in sync or out of tune?
3. What can you do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually to develop the right rhythm in your personal life? And for your team and organisation?
Midja x