Coming into college, I knew that the workload and overall experience would challenge me in new ways. I knew that it was important to get good sleep, eat healthy, and exercise in a way that made me feel good but beyond that, I had no idea what taking care of my well-being looked like. If you also are feeling overwhelmed with leadership aspirations, here's my story of finding self-care practices to sustain my leadership journey:
Ironically, I was elected to lead my chapter as the “Wellness Chairman” in my first year in my sorority. Through this position, I implemented “Self-Care Sundays” every week as a challenge for the members. In the next two terms, I took on executive board roles and the importance of taking time for myself and slowing down as I became involved in other things became a priority.
When I stepped into my first executive position as Vice President of Finance, I struggled with setting boundaries and spent all my time working on my tasks that needed to be completed. I was exhausted and I was losing motivation to continue because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I knew I had to change things in order to serve my chapter well, so I sought out guidance from older leaders within my sorority as well as outside mentorship. Improvements I made in my routine didn’t occur overnight but through time, I saw change and discovered the difference caring for yourself can make. The changes I made influenced the sisters I lived in the chapter house with because they took notice of the changes I was making and the effect it had. So we came together to go to bed earlier, enjoy walks outside together, and lessen the time on our screens. Making these changes alongside so many sisters strengthened our chapter.
After I had been into a routine with self-care habits I noticed the following improvements in my leadership:
I grew in confidence with the decisions I was making
My overall care and concern for the chapter operations
My productivity and creativity
My stress coping mechanisms
Positive influence
Emotional stability
Long lasting energy
All of these improvements impacted my leadership but more importantly, my sorority because they saw a leader who was happy and confident. I have an understanding that as a chapter president, I am held to a higher standard than others and I take that role seriously. The changes I made that are a natural routine now will carry me far post-grad as I navigate all new responsibilities. At the end of the day, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it's vital in order to lead well.
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