GET A FULL TANK.

Leaders often have more ideas than they have wake time and challenges always abound, so self check-ins are critical to ensuring optimal health and longevity. Working long hours, solving complex problems and making tough decisions takes a psychological and emotional toll on even the most seasoned leaders. (Why Executives Burn Out, HBR) And while the drive to succeed and make change can serve leaders well, it is also true that you can't pour from an empty cup. By comparison, some young drivers (ones like I was), and even some older ones, constantly ride on "E" (refilling their tanks only at 1/4 or less) to save money, time at the pump, or both. But the reality is they risk of running out of gas (and sometimes do) during inconvenient and critical moments - I've experienced that a few times myself! After a while, most of these folks discover that they are actually spending the same amount of money and time, just distributed differently. And the tradeoffs associated with intentionally spending a few more bucks (and minutes) at the pump pays dividends in peace of mind - helping to avoid unforced stoppage errors. Curiously, many leaders I know that would never treat their car and driving experience this way, don't (or often forget to) make this connection to their work life. Every leader should reflect on an appropriate cadence for rest given their work context and personal commitments. Proper rest and time to engage with people and activities that restore your soul (occurring at sufficient quantity and quality) and should not be underrated. In fact, leadership effectiveness depends on it. #LeadWithAFullTank

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