How do you think that leadership pressures have impacted your mental and physical health?

As a local government CIO for almost 15 years, the highest level of stress comes for us around the election of a new mayor every 4 years. Anticipation of what is coming next, how priorities will shift, and what programs will be impacted with a change in my leadership can lead to some sleepless nights. The way I combat this is to have planned for clear communication of our current priorities, and how our team (180 IT professionals) can adapt to the priorities of the new administration. This preparation ensures that we are telling the right story, and with that comes confidence in the work we are doing.

Being a healthcare IT leader in healthcare is challenging, in particular because of the fast developments occurring in both the technology and medical fields. Keeping up with new developments, protecting the privacy of patient information, and leading large, multidisciplinary teams may be taxing on a person's emotional and physical well-being. Because of the 'always-on' attitude in healthcare IT, staff can experience sleep loss and stress as a result of having to respond to calls and crises outside of normal business hours. The emotional toll of the labor is amplified by the seriousness of the task at hand: even a seemingly little error may have serious consequences for patient care. In order to be a successful leader, it is crucial to strike a balance between work and personal life. And in order to maintain the degree of mental clarity and attention demanded for the profession, it is essential to practice self-care practices. Share those self-care practices with your staff, encourage them to take time off, be vocal about using PTO, share the benefits of having a customized schedule when possible. 

It can lead to some burnout, but I have a constant concern to get quality sleep, which I believe is the foundation for being in a state to exercise my leadership. Sleeping well allows me to balance work versus personal life, and having adequate physical health enables me to do sports to avoid stress and anxiety. In fact, I often get ideas or solutions that help me exercise my leadership when I engage in sports activities, which in my case are primarily cycling and running.

Hi everyone.
My mental health has improved thanks to the leadership challenges I face. I have the opportunity to grow and connect with my leaders on a deeper level. I also learn more about myself and how to work well with others.

Have a great day!