In my world, November was supposed to be less busy than the three previous months were. However, as of November 12th, that has not been the case. I still feel like I am living at warp speed, putting on the polish and showing up for my clients every day while in reality my batteries are draining faster than ever. And as I continue to coach individuals around the country, I hear that same things from them.

In a conversation earlier in the week with a coaching client, she shared with me how she knows that she has a bigger willpower tank than most but it seems even she is reaching the bottom of that tank earlier and earlier every day. She spoke about how tired she always seems to be and how hard it is to keep herself motivated and moving in the right direction. But mostly she was frustrated at the struggle. As we continued to talk about willpower tanks and the role they play in our behaviors, attitudes, productivity and happiness, I shared with her something I am constantly reminding myself of.

Think about any audiobook or podcast you listen to. There is an option to listen at 1.0x, 1.25x, 1.5x, etc. The changes that have been thrust upon us in this last year, the lifestyles we have adapted to, and the continued uncertainty of 2021 takes its toll. It’s as though we are all playing our everyday lives on 1.5x (or maybe even 2.0). The drain on our willpower tanks is happening faster than ever because of the self-regulation, uncertainty and adapting we all have to do.

So my message to her and my message to you, is to be kind to yourself. Know that the drain you are feeling is real. Allow yourself grace. Recognize the importance of rest and recharging your batteries when possible. As leaders we need to show up for our teams, clients and to our responsibilities, but we also need to take care of ourselves, now more than ever.

Lindsey Weigle, Partner