Everywhere we look now people are talking about sustainability. How to live more sustainably to take better care of our environment, why sustainability is so important and highlighting the greenwashing habits of numerous organisations.

I regularly talk to business owners about how they can make their organisations more sustainable, particularly in the uncertain times we live in. We explore ideas around reducing waste, focusing on USPs, finding efficiencies.

As you’re reading this I expect you might be nodding your head, considering what changes you might have made or are making in your professional and personal lives.

An area these leaders often neglect, and I challenge them on is looking at themselves.

We all know that the success of a business and the happiness of a team is hugely impacted by the leader. We also hear the stories of extreme burnout, of company owners losing interest in their own businesses and leaders becoming stressed and ill.

How are you focusing on ensuring your own sustainability?

If we look at the definition of sustainability it says:

1. the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level

2. avoidance of the depletion of natural resources

If you reflect on your current levels and current habits, to what extent are you ensuring this can be maintained without depleting?

I think if we’re all honest there are changes we would like to make. And the important thing is that we can, and even just small changes can have a big impact on how we feel about ourselves and how we can maintain (or even improve).

Here are some of my tips for putting a spotlight on your own sustainability:

• Look after your health. It sounds simple and we all know what helps us to feel good (mentally and physically) but many us don’t prioritise our health and particularly our sleep.

• Build a stress / emotional management toolkit. Understand what your triggers are that tell you when you are feeling stressed, this could be stomach ache, it could be road rage, it could be needing 2 coffees before being able to start the day. Then curate your personal techniques; often this looks like having someone you can talk to, getting out in nature, singing or listening to music.

• Find a network who can support as well as challenge and inspire you. In particular for those who are self employed or leaders of team. It can feel like a lonely place. Find people who understand and can help keep you motivated. I absolutely love my fellow coaching community in Sheffield.

• Find some hobbies, ideally a hobby that is the exact opposite of your everyday. Research into high performing leaders found a consistent feature of those that did not suffer with burnout symptoms: they had an “opposite world”. This is an activity/ hobby that puts you into a state which is the direct opposite of the mindset you have at work (and recharges you). Examples in the study include Argentinian tango, baking, road cycling.

• Set some boundaries. Learn how to say No to others and to yourself. Understand that you need to be selective with what you say yes to, rather than constantly giving.

• Understand your values and align your work and life to this. There is nothing more tiring than constantly questioning what you do. Understanding your values makes decisions much simpler. Not sure what these are? Get in touch with me for a 90minute values elicitation session 🙌

• Celebrate and invest in yourself. Try to do this as a daily habit. Each day focus on what went well for you, it will help to stay in the present and to check in with yourself.

What will you try to focus on for you?

My recent susty actions:

One of my core values is being extremely mindful of my impact on people and the world we live in.

At times over the past couple of years this has actually caused me some stress, it’s easy to feel stressed by climate discussions and frustrated by the inaction and ignorance of big companies and the powers that be. But, in the grand scheme of things all we can do is focus on ourselves and our actions (while being kind to ourselves).

A couple of things that have brought me “susty” joy in the past couple of weeks:

• Taking my boots to the cobblers to have the stitching redone. I have worn these boots so much the stitching had come undone. So I headed to the local cobbler, had a lovely exchange with Mr Cobbler, Bella was welcomed, he sorted my shoes over the weekend and it only cost me £10 - win!

• I “upcycled” some wooden delivery crates into garden planters, painted, lined and hauled a huge bag of compost to fill them ready for my veg story to begin :D

• I treat myself to “little treats” regularly, whether a book, a pastry, a meal out or a nice coffee. It’s important that I show myself that I value me.

Why am I talking about this here?

1. Understanding my values can help us to connect as humans :) it may also help you to reflect and raise awareness of the values that are important to you.

2. Our sustainable actions can also support our wellbeing in particular financial, environmental and emotional/ spiritual. Home grown and make do and mend > new and plastic contained.

How important is a sustainable life to you?

When you consider sustainability to you include yourself in this conversation?

Drop me an email, I’d love to hear more.