Why do female leaders need to look after themselves? When is a good time to delegate tasks at work?
Jemma Roedel argues that to be a good leader, you must remember to look after yourself in addition to taking care of others. You can’t help anyone if you’re burnt out and don’t have any motivation to lead a team.
Keep reading to learn how to take care of yourself as a woman.
How to Look After Yourself
If you give everything you have and work yourself too hard at your job, there’s a good chance that you’ll burn out, at which point you’ll be unable to help anyone else. Additionally, it’s important to set a good example for your team by showing them that you know how to take care of yourself as a woman with a good work-life balance.
(Shortform note: While Roedel focuses on maintaining a good work-life balance, it’s important to consider the many imbalances and gender norms that make it harder for women to do this. Several studies suggest that women are more likely to experience burnout than men. One reason is that women often bear the brunt of caregiving and domestic duties in their home lives, and juggling that with their professional duties can lead to burnout. Additionally, women are less likely to be promoted than men, so they often have less authority in the workplace. Some research indicates that the related mental strain and resentment of this imbalance of power is a main cause of burnout in women.)
Roedel says that looking after yourself can take many forms. For one, it means remembering that you don’t have to do everything yourself at work. You might delegate certain tasks to employees or ask for help on difficult projects.
Self-care also extends beyond work—it means taking care of your physical and mental health by exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep. (Shortform note: Beyond maintaining everyday healthy habits, self-care can mean doing an activity that interests you or makes you feel fulfilled. Doing things that fulfill you gives you more energy, fortifying you for tasks that may be less enjoyable. For example, if you love to read, you may set aside an hour a day to spend with your latest book.)
| How to Know When to Delegate Delegation is a sign of strength and a complex understanding of the people around you. However, many women avoid delegating tasks because they worry it will make them seem weak, or they think they can do the task better than anyone else. If you’re not used to delegating, it may be difficult to discern what can be passed on to someone else. Consider the following criteria: First, if you know one of your team members could do the task better (for instance, if they’re more expert in the subject area), then it should go to them. Second, pass on the task if it could be a valuable learning experience for a team member. As a leader, you can delegate tasks to give people opportunities to grow their skills. However, you should never delegate tasks related to personnel issues or performance evaluations. |
