Prioritizing wellbeing even during the hard times
Conservation leaders frequently prioritize the mission over their own health and wellbeing. Many barely take leave (and are always working even while away!). Others frequently fall sick from exhaustion. However, the ability to lead effectively is deeply connected to one’s physical and mental resilience. In this Reader, Dr Vik Mohan offers valuable insights on how conservation leaders can prioritize their wellbeing.
Dr Vik Mohan is a practicing doctor and conservationist, life coach, trainer and wellbeing practitioner. He has spent nearly 30 years working as a frontline doctor in the UK and a conservation leader, working alongside passionate, purpose driven people. Through this work, he has seen first hand how important it is that conservation leaders and teams look after themselves. Having spent the last decade learning about wellbeing and resilience, he now spends time working with teams and leaders to promote greater wellbeing within purpose driven organizations.
What does well-being really mean? What does this look like in practice? Why does it matter?
I find this a difficult question to answer, there are so many definitions of wellbeing. For me, wellbeing is simply about feeling happy and healthy! When someone is happy and healthy, they almost always will be better at their jobs too.
The wellbeing journey is personal →
Everyone’s wellbeing journey is a personal one; for some, it might be about a healthy work-life balance, for others it might mean having enough time to spend with family, or spending time in nature. Having said that, we all have basic needs (sleep, good food, exercise, rest, safety, and so on) and it’s hard to experience true wellbeing if these basic needs aren’t met.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a nice framework for understanding this. Whilst it’s not perfect, this framework of human needs sets out our needs as a pyramid, with our most basic needs at the base and higher level needs further up the pyramid. Maslow believed that we are motivated to get our needs met, starting with our most basic needs. Once these needs are met we move onto “higher” needs. The fulfilment of our needs is strongly correlated with our happiness.
As conservation practitioners and leaders, so much is demanded of us. Just like a performance athlete, we need to be at our best. There’s a huge amount of evidence that investing in wellbeing improves productivity and performance, and yet we overlook this. Taking time to look after ourselves is probably one of the most important strategic investments we could make!
‘If you do not make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.’
As a doctor and wellbeing practitioner, I am reminded every day of the consequences of not prioritizing our wellbeing. I meet inspiring leaders becoming increasingly exhausted, burning out, getting ill, giving up on their goals, leaving the conservation sector. At a personal level, this is a tragedy. For the conservation sector, this is a workforce crisis.
In a crisis, leaders may feel like they don't have time for self-care and might neglect their wellbeing. Why is it so easy for leaders to neglect themselves during high-stress situations, and how can they recognize when they're doing it?
The world values us for our output - whether that’s being a good leader, manager, conservationist, etc. This is true for all of us, but perhaps there’s greater expectation to maintain a focus on this if you’re a leader. Having been a leader in conservation for many years, I understand the pressure to prioritize the mission and the survival of the organization; I often struggled to prioritize my own needs. At times of crisis, this will only intensify.
Establish a simple wellbeing test →
When you’re stressed or overwhelmed, recognizing when you’re not ok can be really difficult. I would recommend having a simple test or strategy in place. For example, I know when I’m getting stressed because I start to sleep poorly. This simple sign is my alarm bell.Ask yourself, how do you know when you’re not ok? Or how do you know if you are ok?It’s worth asking ourselves this when we’re not in crisis, and having a regular moment in our routine when we can check in with ourselves.
Another way to approach this would be to check in with someone close to you: a partner, friend, family member or close colleague. They’ll often be able to provide us with an accurate assessment of our wellbeing! Plus, check-ins like this can help to foster deeper relationships, or facilitate mutual sharing and support.
How can mindfulness practices help conservation leaders manage stress and maintain mental clarity during a crisis? Are there specific mindfulness techniques or exercises you recommend for leaders who feel overwhelmed by the demands of a crisis?
Consistency matters →
A regular mindfulness practice has been proven to help people manage and reduce stress, as well as help foster greater self awareness and boost attention and concentration. The key is to have a regular practice, and there are many ways to develop this. There are formal mindfulness courses available, as well as huge numbers of self-guided mindfulness resources such as apps, books and online videos. Or one could simply commit to a regular practice of being mindful: committing to bringing one’s full attention to the present moment. If you’ve had no experience of mindfulness practice, I would definitely recommend investing time to learn how to practice mindfulness properly.
Act immediately →
If we’re feeling overwhelmed, I feel it’s vitally important we deal with this as soon as we notice. I would recommend taking time out, even if it’s for a few minutes, and take oneself away from one’s desk (or wherever you are experiencing the overwhelm). Simply focusing on our breath, and slowing our outbreath, can help us feel calmer. Then it can be helpful to try and maintain perspective and remind ourselves: this won’t last forever; it’s not all my fault; it doesn’t affect every aspect of my life.
What practical things can you really do? Eg switch off your computer at certain hours the day, spend time with your family etc, even amid chaos.
There’s a beautiful Zen proverb that sums up my thoughts: “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”
Make sure you meet your basic needs →
As mentioned previously, it’s important we meet our basic needs (food and water, exercise, rest, sleep). When we neglect these we’re stealing from our wellbeing; we’ll have to repay that debt sooner or later.
Make time for those who nourish you →
Next I would recommend making time to be with those whose relationships sustain and nourish you: family, friends, close colleagues. We all know how much better we feel when we’ve had a laugh with a friend, shared a difficult experience with a loved one or been listened to by someone who understands our situation.
Set clear boundaries →
Boundaries are important (especially with our smartphones!). Our boundaries need to reflect our priorities and honor our needs. We need to be able to feel comfortable with the boundaries we draw, so that we can communicate them and maintain them. I know this is hard, but you may be surprised by the level of understanding with which you are met when you communicate your boundaries clearly and consistently to others.
Remember your sense of purpose →
Let’s remind ourselves of our sense of purpose, and ensure that this aligns with our mission. It’s all too easy to lose sight of why we do what we do, and lose ourselves in the daily grind. Let’s step back and make time to connect with the communities we serve, to witness the magnificent biodiversity we are working to help conserve, to listen to the aspirations of the colleagues whom we are supporting to do the work they want to do.
Practice self-kindness →
Let’s be kind to ourselves. It’s all too easy to give ourselves a hard time about not doing enough, not being enough. Can we show ourselves the same kindness we would show our family and friends?
Find the fun in life!
Lastly, seek out what gives you joy! When I’m having a tough day, 5 minutes of my favorite music can make all the difference! In my work to support the wellbeing of conservationists, I ask them what brings them joy. I love seeing the smile that appears on their faces when they tell me about the beautiful sunset they’ve just seen, how calm they feel when spending time with their grazing cattle or the sense of deep connection they experience when taking a moment to experience and appreciate their magnificent surroundings.
How can leaders cultivate resilience in themselves so they can better handle future crises without sacrificing their health and well-being?
It comes down to reminding ourselves that we matter. We are our most precious resource, so let’s treat ourselves that way (just like a performance athlete would). Our mission depends upon us being at our best.
But it goes deeper than that: we matter because we are “children of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars.” We are enough, and our life is now. Let’s show ourselves the same love and care we show the world. Let’s give ourselves permission to take time for the things that nourish us, that replenish us, that give us joy. In a world that seems to be geared to taking more and more from us, self care can feel like a revolutionary act!
At a practical level, there are lots of things we can do to cultivate personal resilience.
Confront challenges, rather than wish them away →
When things get tough, let’s face challenges rather than avoiding them; let’s focus on what’s in our control; let’s commit to meaningful, achievable goals; let’s be persistent in pursuing them.
Don’t lose optimism →
Even when challenges seem insurmountable, it’s helpful to remain optimistic. This needs to be a realistic optimism, of course; a belief about what is possible that is achievable and that motivates and empowers us.
Focus on the learning and growth →
Let’s remember that we will continue to learn and to grow, and that challenges provide us with important opportunities for growth. On the subject of learning and growth, let’s make sure we have developed all of the skills we need to do our jobs effectively! So often, when in leadership positions we find ourselves being required to do things we’ve never learnt to do: managing finances, writing safeguarding policies, managing staff conflict. Feeling competent as a leader, across all of the things required of us, has a big impact on our wellbeing and motivation.
Ask for help! We all need it →
Last of all, let’s be prepared to ask for help when we need it! Some might see this as a sign of weakness, but in my experience, it is the most courageous and most effective leaders that are willing to seek the support they need. Let your community, be that social or professional, be your super power!
How can leaders build a support system (whether through a team, mentor, or wellness coach) to help them stay accountable for their well-being during a crisis?
Model the behavior you want to see, and build a culture of caring →
It starts by modelling good self care, which others will learn from. Building a compassionate organizational culture, where people are valued as much as the mission, starts here and starts with us as leaders. By valuing each other, building trust and strengthening our sense of belonging we’re laying the foundations for a supportive workplace. This network of colleagues, supported by the right culture, can help us ensure accountability for everyone’s wellbeing. Without the right organizational culture, where everyone’s wellbeing matters, it will be hard for individual leaders to maintain their own wellbeing.
Invest in a coach or mentor to support your wellbeing →
For those in leadership positions there are legitimate reasons why it can feel difficult to confide in our colleagues, and that can be a significant source of isolation. In this context, professional support that gives leaders space to talk freely and problem solve, or that focuses on their wellbeing, can be valuable. No matter how motivated we are to prioritize our wellbeing, this external accountability can be very powerful. Personally, I think we would all benefit from having a coach!