As mentioned in the previous article, a practical way to start pursuing a balanced life is to focus our time and energy on the five main dimensions of well-being: spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, and social. If you have not read part one of this article, please refer to it here for information on spiritual well-being and mental well-being. Christian leaders must begin by prioritizing the development of their spiritual health, giving them the energy to lead others well. As mentioned in the previous article, spiritual health is equivalent to the gas we fill our cars up with to keep them running. Once we have enough fuel in the tank, Christian leaders can focus on the other dimensions of health, also known as their vehicle's wheels, to fulfill their God-given purpose.
Today, we are focusing on emotional, physical, and social wellness. The National Institutes of Health describes emotional wellness as “the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times” (NIH, 2018). Someone with healthy emotional health can identify their feelings and regulate their emotions. Physical well-being is related to the physical body, such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc. Lastly, social well-being encompasses our relationships and social interactions. Below, we will focus on one leadership skill to implement in your life to improve each dimension of health.
Please remember that each dimension of health (mental, emotional, physical, and social) represents the wheels of a car. One wheel may need more time to fill it with air; there is nothing wrong with that on this transformational journey. Focus on one dimension at a time and develop that skill before moving on to the next.
Emotional Well-Being Leadership and Development
We are emotional beings, and God created us with this unique quality. Throughout the day, we experience a wide range of emotions; however, sometimes, we are unaware of how these feelings impact our leadership. Our ability to be emotionally self-aware significantly improves our Christian leadership and our influence on those around us.
To begin, we must become attuned to our bodies and emotions. Our mind and body are connected, like an alarm system telling us when something needs more attention; our body helps us identify our feelings. When we feel anxious, we may notice knots in our stomachs before we have the language to recognize the feeling. Or we may notice tension in our shoulders before we realize we are feeling stressed. Unfortunately, this lack of self-awareness about what our body communicates to us regarding our emotions can make us more reactive to emotions instead of proactive, hindering our leadership skills.
Let’s use cooking as an example. When I cook, the smoke alarm in our house frequently goes off, telling me to remove the food from the oven because it is burning. However, if I am reactive and do not take a moment to pause and recognize the purpose of the alarm, I may hear the alarm and start to run out of the house, thinking my house is on fire. As leaders, we can be reactive to a warning if we do not take the time to make space and recognize the feelings associated with the stressor we are experiencing. This reactivity negatively affects our employees and our leadership.
As we grow in our ability to make space and practice emotional wellness, we can engage in behaviors that help us process life's stressors as Christian leaders. As Viktor Frankl states, “Between the stimulus and response, there is a space. And in that space lies our freedom and power to choose our responses. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Practices for Emotional Wellness
To continue the car analogy, sometimes we allow ourselves to sit in the passenger seat while our emotions sit in the driver’s seat and drive the car. We dislike this lack of power; however, we are unsure how to regain control of the vehicle. The first step to driving your own car of emotions again is to name your emotions. Brene Brown is known for saying, “Name it to tame it,” when she refers to our feelings. The truth is our emotions just want attention, and once we learn how to recognize what we are feeling, we can move them to the backseat and start driving the car on our own again.
Identifying our own emotions can help us grow in self-awareness. When we take time to pause and name our feelings, the feelings move in our brain from the Limbic System to the Prefrontal Cortex. This allows us to use problem-solving skills to process them and engage in activities that help us respond in a healthy manner.
A great way to become more aware of your emotions is to take time each day to identify your feelings. You can access a helpful resource for this exercise here. Start this practice by setting a consistent time each day to pause and name a few feelings you are experiencing on this feelings wheel. It will only take a few minutes but will tremendously help your emotional well-being.
Resources for Emotional Wellness:
To read more about emotional well-being, check out this book about identifying emotions.
Discover your purpose in leadership today
Physical Well-Being Leadership and Development
As a leader, your physical well-being directly impacts your ability to inspire, make decisions, and lead effectively. When you prioritize your health, you set an example for others and create a culture that values well-being. Physical well-being encompasses many facets of life; however, in this article, we will focus on obtaining quality sleep.
Quality sleep is essential for effective Christian leadership and sound decision-making. Leaders can think clearly, assess situations accurately, and respond to challenges when well-rested. Sleep is critical for brain function, particularly in memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking. During sleep, the brain consolidates information, strengthens neural connections, and processes complex data. This helps leaders make well-informed decisions based on clear reasoning rather than impulsive reactions.
Sleep also improves our focus and attention as Christian leaders. A lack of sleep leads to decreased concentration and cognitive overload, which makes it harder to stay focused on tasks. Well-rested leaders can process information more efficiently, filter out distractions, and prioritize tasks effectively.
Lastly, sleep reduces emotional reactivity due to its significant role in emotional regulation. When sleep-deprived, individuals are more prone to stress, frustration, and impulsive behavior. A well-rested leader is better equipped to manage emotions, remain calm under pressure, and make rational, level-headed decisions.
Practices for Physical Wellness
We know the benefits of sleep and recognize the improvement it can have on our leadership. However, many of us still struggle to obtain 7-9 hours of quality rest each night. The answer to this common problem is to set healthy boundaries around our sleep.
Research has discovered a simple time boundary we can all utilize to improve our sleep quality; it is called the 10-3-2-1 rule. As Christian leaders, we need to stop consuming caffeine 10 hours before our set bedtime. This will allow our brains to have a natural adenosine build-up and naturally fall asleep at night. Then, our last food consumption needs to be 3 hours before bed so our body can use that time to digest our food before we go to sleep. Around 2 hours before we go to bed, we need to stop working, both physically and mentally. Physical and mental rest from work will help us fall asleep and receive higher-quality sleep. Lastly, about 1 hour before bedtime, we must stop using screens. I know this last one is difficult with the number of screens we have in our homes. However, the blue light emitted from our laptops, televisions, phones, etc, negatively impacts our sleep-wake cycle.
Take the time to recognize which of these time boundaries is the easiest for you to implement first and begin with it. As you master one, then start the next one and eventually, you will notice an improvement in your sleep quality. Then, as your sleep improves, you will notice other improvements in your leadership skills.
Resources for Physical Wellness:
If you want to read more about physical well-being, check out this book about improving performance or this article about setting healthy boundaries.
Social Well-Being Leadership and Development
Social well-being is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of effective Christian leadership. A leader’s ability to foster meaningful relationships, maintain strong communication, and build a supportive social network directly impacts personal fulfillment and professional success. Christian leaders who prioritize social well-being create a well-balanced life and, in turn, reduce the negative impacts of burnout.
Leadership can sometimes feel isolating, making a strong support network essential. Surrounding oneself with mentors, peers, and friends who offer encouragement and guidance can help alleviate stress and provide new perspectives. Networking with other leaders, joining professional groups, and participating in community events can also open doors to valuable collaborations and learning opportunities.
Research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard University found that “the people you habitually associate with determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life.” As a Chrisitan leader, who are you spending time with? Are these people leading you in the direction you desire for your life as a Christian leader?
Practices for Social Wellness
Completing a social network inventory is one practice to improve our social well-being as Christian leaders. A social network inventory is a tool that helps leaders assess and strengthen their relationships by identifying key connections, evaluating their impact, and finding areas for improvement.
To begin, list four key qualities you desire in a friendship, such as: Christian character, consistency, accountability, and compassion. First, recognize if you bring these qualities into your friendships and notice any areas you need to grow in yourself. Then, write out the people you spend the most time with weekly, which may be at work or in a variety of different environments. Next, identify which of these four attributes each person you spend time with encompasses in your friendship. Lastly, communicate your thoughts openly and honestly with your friends to establish a plan to strengthen your relationship.
As you strengthen your social wellness, you will notice lasting impacts on your Christian leadership skills. Leadership training goes beyond a skillset on paper; it is more about the people we are becoming and less about what we are doing.
Resources for Social Wellness:
If you want to read more about social well-being, check out this book about developing your social circle or this article about living in community.
Next Steps
The next step in thriving Christian leadership is the continuous practice and development of these five dimensions of health. Leadership is learned and consistent care for yourself holistically will bring more balance to your life. Take time to develop each dimension of well-being individually before moving on to the next one. Recognize this is a life-long process and give yourself grace as you implement these practices in your life.
