Andrew Schneider, CPA

Don't just talk the talk; walk the walk. If you tell younger team members to take care of themselves via pto, workload management, and to respect boundaries, do it for yourself too. If they can see the success you have by living your values, it will demonstrate to them the possible positive outcomes and inspire them to act.

You need to respect your own boundaries first and foremost. If you are logged off, with family, or on vacation, focus on that quality time. If you can't respect your time or know when you have too much on your plate, it's difficult to then respect the boundaries of others. Our colleagues have lives too. Sometimes, that results in things maybe getting done a little later than is ideal for us. However, if that was us, we'd be upset if someone was on our case. Keep this perspective and trust your team.

Instead of just telling people what can be done differently or how to do something, offer to help them through an example or take something off their plate, if they are willing. Some people learn better from having a model example to follow. You can provide a lot of practical advice, they might say they get it, but they really might still be lost and not feel confident enough to express that. Don't just talk the talk; help people walk the walk.

You don't know what you don't know. Have genuine curiosity about the feedback you receive, especially the constructive feedback. Ask for an example, take notes, and think through what you could have done differently. It takes additional time and effort, but the compound learning will serve you well.

I find being able to mindfully lead a team starts with being mindful with yourself first. How can we encourage our teams to be mindful, look out for themselves, and be open if we don't do that ourselves? Many people model their behaviors after their coworkers, especially senior members they interact with. Show them how you are mindful and aware of yourself, create that spark of intrigue within them, then work on helping them become more mindful. Without doing it yourself first and having tangible results to show, your efforts to help others may come up empty.

I am a night owl, so I practice mindfulness at the end of my day. Things I do include scribbling my thoughts from the day in a notebook, listening to sound therapy, or sometimes just laying in the dark in quiet. I find these moments help me slow down my mind and get what is rattling around in my brain out on paper. The latter is especially important for me, otherwise I can wind up lying in bed for hours with my brain running. Clearing my thoughts via writing or stillness helps clear my mental cache so I can get the rest I need.