Stressed-out high achiever? Get a hobby

All of us with lofty goals, plus employees and family relying on us to be at our best, need a way to wind down and stay energized amidst the daily swirl. A few tips from my work with high-performing business leaders and salespeople.

1. Your outlet / hobby has to be something that isn't "productive" in the traditional sense. It needs to be valuable in its own right. Think gardening, drawing, painting, crafting, collecting, tinkering on an old car, etc. You must love the process more than any end result. If you already have a hobby like this, re-commit to it. Remind yourself why it’s important and prioritize it in your week. This IS a part of your job – to keep yourself sane and performing at a high level.
   
   
2. Make time for it at least weekly (if not just 15 minutes/day). Time block your calendar, build a routine if you don't already have one.  Since it's easy to skip it and get pulled into all your other “productive” work and life obligations, get an accountability buddy (friend, colleague, spouse) to support and encourage you. You don’t have to do it alone.
   
   
3. Tell people about it. Clients, colleagues, friends all love talking about their hobbies and passions, but are often shy. When you share your passion project, you inspire others to get back to their own. It's also a differentiator when you’re selling, presenting, building new relationships. It makes you more memorable.  Don’t hide.  That’s boring.

In these tumultuous times, we all need a respite for our own self-care. Find a new hobby or recommit to that passion project you've gotten away from. It's good for the soul, also will be good for your performance and business results too.

*My hobby - in addition to being a "sales therapist" and leadership coach, I'm a painter. I do it as a meditation. It keeps me sane. This week, I decided to make a website and share it with others for the first time. My goal in sharing is to inspire others to find, recommit to, and share about their hobby / passions.

Onward.
Tom

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