SMDC

Liezhel Joy Jamilano is a dedicated Learning and Organizational Development practitioner with a robust background in enhancing workplace learning and employee engagement. Currently serving as an HR Manager at SMDC, she is passionate about fostering a culture of lifelong learning and continuous improvement within organizations. Liezhel emphasizes on the importance of mental health and well-being in personal and professional growth. She is committed to empowering individuals and teams through innovative learning strategies and tailored development programs and in creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

Through this article, Jamilano highlights the importance of self-care for leaders in today's demanding workplace. The author presents three strategies: jotting things down to improve focus, understanding focused and diffuse thinking modes to enhance mental well-being and avoiding multitasking to maintain productivity. These strategies can help leaders manage stress, improve mental clarity and ultimately achieve better results.

As leaders, our job is no longer just about doing the work ourselves; it’s about managing the people who do it. We take care of our teams—but who takes care of us?

Here are three simple strategies to practice self-care and promote mental wellness while staying productive in the workplace.

“As leaders, our job is no longer just about doing the work ourselves; it’s about managing the people who do it. We take care of our teams—but who takes care of us?”

1.  Jot It Down

Writing things down will never go out of style. As leaders, we handle multiple projects and communicate with many people. However, our prefrontal cortex can only manage so much information before it gets overloaded by distractions. This is why we need additional working memory and this is where writing—or jotting things down—comes in. It acts as external storage for information.

By writing things down, we free up space in our working memory, allowing us to think more clearly about the task at hand while preventing other to-dos from slipping away. This strategy enhances focus and helps us complete deliverables without the mental burden of holding onto every detail. In essence, we are being kind to our minds when we jot things down. So always keep paper and a pen, or your phone notes, handy!

2.  Focus Mode vs. Diffuse Mode

According to Barbara Oakley, an American professor at Oakland University and McMaster University, there are two types of thinking: focused and diffuse. Focused thinking occurs when we intentionally concentrate on a task, such as solving an organizational problem, writing a report, preparing a presentation, or analyzing data. In contrast, diffuse mode happens when our minds are relaxed and free, such as when we are daydreaming, doodling, walking, or mindlessly scrolling through social media.

Understanding when to switch between these two modes can support our mental wellness. For example, imagine you have been working on a monthly report for an hour, interpreting analytics from the data. You’ve been in focused mode during this time. Now, it’s beneficial to switch to diffuse mode—take a walk, look out the window, or step away from your workspace. You might return with fresh insights, seeing the data in a new light. This is where the saying "rest is productive, too" rings true.

3.  Multitasking is a myth.

When we manage multiple undertakings, we may be tempted to multitask. However, as we do, we often find ourselves experiencing both mental and physical exhaustion by the end of the day. This is why multitasking is not good for our mental health.

When a person multitasks, it’s like having multiple tabs open in a browser—one tab for each task. Every time you switch to another tab, the browser refreshes. By the end of the day, we may have started many tasks but finished none. This is why the better strategy is to take things one at a time. When you are in a meeting, focus on the meeting. Be present. Don’t check your phone for other matters. If you do, you may experience a headache afterward because you were multitasking.

When working on a report, avoid checking your email, MS Teams, or Slack. Just focus on the report. Allot 30 minutes to one hour of focused time for that task. After that focused period, take a break, engage in diffuse thinking, then return to your desk to finish the report. Then and only then, is it a good time to check your email or messages.

As leaders who take care of our teams, it is vital that we take care of ourselves, too. We cannot pour from an empty cup. Practice these three simple strategies and you will find yourself with better mental health at the end of a productive day.