Are your customers getting the best version of you? Are you finding it hard to do the things you know you're genuinely capable of doing?
😕 HELP 😒
As a Customer Success professional, you know what you "should" be doing - because you're following all the best CS coaches, engaging in all the best CS forums, attending all the best CS webinars.
But it's still much harder than it should be... WHYYYYYYYYYYY? 😫
Burnout. Yep, burnout, right? That's gotta be it - everyone's talking about it. Maybe I'm burned out!
Nope.
Sorry (but also not sorry 😏) to tell you this: it's not burnout. You're almost never likely to have an easy job (is that even a thing in CS?), and lots of people work harder than you (again: sorry, but not sorry). Burnout might be part of it, but it's a symptom and not the root cause of why you're struggling.
(Disclaimer: CS is a demanding job, but it shouldn't be hazardous to your health like some jobs actually are. If it is, you're either doing it wrong, or working for the wrong people. Both can be fixed.)
So what is it?
It's your health: your physical and emotional health OUTSIDE of work. It's what YOU bring to your work every day. All the baggage. Want healthy customers? Start with a healthy you.
The backstory
Professional coaching has become a massive industry (one that I'm part of now, thanks to the good folks at Catalyst Software) - and I'm a *huge* advocate for getting the external help you need to progress your career. Getting coaching via the BoldHR LevelUp program was the best professional decision I've made.
However, I'd argue that no matter what I do in my professional life, no matter how determined I am to perform at my best and deliver value for my customers and colleagues, my personal challenges hold me back much more than any professional challenges.
I turn 50 next year 🎉. I've been an above-average athlete my whole life and achieved a lot professionally, but now my body's falling apart in real time in front of my rapidly-ageing eyes. I'll never again be as good as I've been at all the things I love doing 😢.
Added to that, my personal life is a long list of responsibilities that make it harder and harder to find the fun and focus that I need to live life as well as I want to live it.
It's all a bit depressing, which isn't great for someone with a high propensity for... depression.
All of this means I don't bring my best self to work every day. I bring some level of physical and emotional pain with me that holds me back from doing my best work and reduces the impact of all the coaching that I've been fortunate enough to get from some amazing people over the years.
I don't think I'm alone with this - at least... I certainly hope not! 😱 Either way, how do I stop my personal challenges holding me back from my professional potential?
The small things
Here are the simple, achievable, repeatable things you can do that many people aren't very good at doing:
Healthy Mornings
- Start first thing with natural light, copious rehydration (water with electrolytes or salt) and whatever type of physical movement works for your body and gets things pumping from head to toe.
- You only need 10-15 minutes for this routine and it makes a tangible positive difference to the rest of your day. Sleeping for as long as you can kills all of this and makes you feel worse.
- Avoid all stimulants for at least 30 (if not 90) minutes. Screens (especially screens!), caffeine, nicotine, whatever - avoid them all for as long as you can and let your mind and body wake up naturally.
Healthy Days
- Attack procrastination like it's your worst enemy (because it is) by remembering that perfect is the enemy of done. You know what needs to be done, so don't delay it with delusions of perfection.
- Work in small blocks, where the focus is on doing the highest priorities first, broken down into small chunks that mean you actually get the work done, piece by achievable piece.
- If something's been festering on your to do list, either DO it, or have the courage to tell people that you're NOT going to do it, thus clearing your mind to properly focus on the things you'll actually do.
Healthy Evenings
- Because you're getting healthier starts and enjoying more highly-productive days, you're now much better positioned to sleep well. Some people need less than others, but it's still the best health hack.
- Wind down properly so you can rest properly - put your screen (phone/tablet) away! The science is no longer debatable on the importance of sleep, nor on how bad portable screens are for sleep.
- Cut sugar - especially in the evenings. Again, the science is settled on the this. Eat better food and you'll sleep better (with fewer toilet breaks - seriously!) and reinforce a really positive daily cycle.
tl;dr
If you're not already doing things that start and end your day with a focus on your health, you'll find a level of benefit in consistently doing them. Start today.
You don't need to live like a monk or an Insta-style fitness influencer. I'm not preaching "lifestyle change" or any major shift here; just a little extra discipline around some simple things you can do at key times of the day to get past some obstacles that many of us create for ourselves (while at the same time complaining that we're experiencing obstacles).
Get back to the basics of success in YOUR life and you'll be much closer to being successful in other lives, including those of your customers.
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P.S. Want to follow some actual experts on how to improve your health? Try Andrew Huberman and Dr Eric Berg. Their content is based on actual research, is explained well and is actionable.
