Manage Burnout for Peak Performance: Your Spiritual Energy

In recent blogs in this series, I have delved into the four dimensions of energy as each pertains to burnout: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. This blog focuses on spiritual energy. What role does spiritual energy have in achieving your peak performance?

If you’re tempted to say none, consider this: spiritual energy is your personal connection to your true values and deep sense of purpose. Some people may refer to spiritual energy as their “inner world” or their “inner game”.

Spiritual energy relies on extreme self-care and depends on taking care of others with profound respect. Spiritual energy means honouring our individual values, paying attention to our intuition (aka, gut-instinct), and doing the right thing.

Spiritual energy draws upon rituals and a connection with a purpose greater than our own personal interests.

A ritual is a sequence of activities. Ritual can involve visualization or meditation as I have referenced throughout this series and/or a sacred act or tradition. At its core, ritual is intentional, mindful, and personally meaningful.

Peak performance means deep involvement with purpose, values, self-examination, and consistent habits that are effective in replenishing our energy resources.  

“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave ‘em all over everything you do.” ~ Elvis Presley

Replenishing energy resources comes up often when mentoring young women entrepreneurs and coaching women leaders of all ages. Our conversations cover three steps that are critical in an effective process for replenishing energy resources:

1. Defining true values and what is most important to you, fostering a positive mind-set, and maintaining strong reserves. Learn more about the Reserve Index Program^TM  below*.
2. Being honest about where you are now and recognizing, understanding, and overcoming obstacles, and dropping excuses.
3. Developing a plan and taking action on three positive rituals that will replenish your spiritual energy level.

The 2020 Ritual Switch

For those who switched to remote or virtual work this past year, daily rituals took on a new level of importance or were re-examined for relevance and appreciation. Preparing and enjoying a cup of tea or coffee became much more mindful. Dressing in professional attire and changing at the end of the day gained a new appreciation for marking the beginning and end of our workday. Planning 3 weekly goals and 3 daily tasks became important to our feelings of accomplishment amongst the overwhelming distractions. Even scheduling a weekly virtual brunch with friends and patronizing our favourite restaurant helped to renew depleted spiritual energy – a sense of caring for ourselves and one another. These rituals serve to make the cycles of time, the boundaries of roles, and our connection to others, an amazing source of passion, fortitude, commitment, and acts of doing the right thing for ourselves and others.

Managing Spiritual Energy in Organizations

Spiritual energy in an organization is not woo-woo. Similar to individuals, organizations may refer to spiritual energy as the “inner world” or the “inner game”. Many enlightened leaders refer to the “soul of the organization”.

Spiritual energy is gained from the leadership vision, the mission of the organization, and how each and every action is aligned with and supports the mission. Spiritual energy is renewed in an organization when we remind each other that we matter – we all matter. No organization would be the same without each and every person.

What can we do to replenish spiritual energy in our organizations? Our organizations are being affected by the fear and isolation experienced by people that make up an otherwise healthy organization? Here is what we need to do to counteract fear and isolation and to replenish spiritual energy.

• Take the time to remind others how important they are. Remind them often and in meaningful ways.
• See, hear, and be with them…wherever they are physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.
• Let them know they matter. Acknowledge their accomplishments no matter how small. They showed up on the video call today! There are days when we shine and days when we are lackluster. We still all matter…every one of us.
• BE COMPASSIONATE…with others AND with yourself.

The Spirit of Holiday Rituals

We celebrate several holiday rituals at this time of year. We are very familiar with rituals that renew our spiritual energy. Let’s continue to appreciate and nurture our spiritual energy.

What rituals do you celebrate for your personal spiritual energy?

What rituals do you celebrate in your organization?

We have come to the final blog in this series of peak performance and managing burnout. How have you been managing burnout? Let me know how you are doing. You can reach me on LinkedIn, and on Maestro’s Facebook. Or, contact me directly.

*The Reserve Index Program^TM consists of 100 items which, when achieved, give you the inner strength you need to realize that you have more than you need, personally and professionally. If you are ready to do deep “inner work”, contact me and let’s explore if this work is right for you at this time.

Check out the online mini-course Your Building Blocks to Emotional Well-Being and Resilience. The mini-course is complimentary for a limited time with exclusive bonuses valued at $350 including a private session to move you forward in learning how emotional intelligence affects your emotional energy and your success.