3 Things Keeping Community Leaders Up at Night

Community leadership is a rewarding yet challenging role. The weight of responsibility can lead to sleepless nights. Many leaders find themselves too concerned with what others think about them and the decisions they make. They care too much about disappointing others and get caught up in people pleasing on wanting to be accepted. In this case the leader is putting others first. The mission should be first, the leader second and the group third. When this is out of order the leader can lose sleep wondering how to get it back in place.

It can be hard to put the mission first if you have lost sight of it. Losing sight of the mission often pulls the leader in too many directions and leads to confusion. This confusion causes bad decision making and can create divisiveness. Not to mention, watering down the mission can affect the revenue and bottomline. Money is a vital part of any mission. 

But the biggest thing keeping community leaders up at night is neglecting internal work. Every leader should have a routine for addressing stress management and clearing past and current pain that comes from the world. Leaders are still human and for that reason can be affected by external things. By doing internal work they protect their energy, the mission, and even the community as a whole. 

Here’s an in-depth exploration of these issues, along with actionable self-care strategies to help community leaders thrive.

1. Putting Others First

While altruism is vital in community leadership, there are moments when leaders must prioritize their own needs. This balance is crucial for sustainable leadership.

• The Importance of Self-Prioritization: Leaders often feel guilty about prioritizing themselves, fearing it may seem selfish. However, the reality is that self-care enables leaders to serve more effectively. When leaders invest time in their well-being, they can approach challenges with clarity and energy. For instance, taking a short break to recharge can lead to better decision-making and creativity.
• Setting Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries is essential. This means learning to say no to requests that overextend your capacity or compromise your well-being. By setting limits, leaders demonstrate self-respect and create an environment where others realize they have the power to do the same. This practice not only preserves personal energy but also fosters a culture of mutual respect within the community.

Here’s Why: When leaders consistently prioritize others over themselves, they risk burnout and diminished effectiveness. A leader who is exhausted cannot inspire or support their community adequately. Therefore, understanding that sometimes you must step away and go within, for the greater good is vital for long-term success.

2. Losing Sight of Your Mission

In the hustle of community leadership, it’s easy to become distracted by immediate needs and lose focus on the overarching mission.

• Revisiting Your 'Why': Regularly reflecting on your mission can help maintain clarity and direction. Consider creating a mission statement that encapsulates your goals and values. Revisit this statement during team meetings or personal reflections to keep everyone aligned.
• The Cost of Distraction: When leaders become overly focused on pleasing everyone, they may stray from their core objectives. This can lead to diluted efforts and frustration among community members who rely on strong leadership. By staying committed to the mission, leaders can make tough decisions that may not please everyone but are necessary for achieving long-term goals.

Here’s Why: Losing sight of your mission can lead to disillusionment among team members and the people that follow your insight. A clear focus allows for more effective resource allocation and prioritization of initiatives that align with the community's needs. Simply put if you lose sight of the mission you get off course, if you get off course, you don’t fulfill the mission. 

3. Not Doing Your Internal Work

Neglecting internal work—self-reflection, emotional processing, and personal growth—can be detrimental for community leaders.

• The Power of Self-Awareness: Developing self-awareness is crucial for effective leadership. Leaders should regularly engage in practices such as journaling or meditation to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. This practice helps identify stressors and areas for improvement. 
• Structured Routines: Maintaining structured morning and evening routines can significantly enhance well-being. A consistent morning routine sets a positive tone for the day, while a calming nighttime routine promotes restorative sleep. For example:
• Morning Routine: Start with mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga, get your water, vitamins and minerals in early, along with a nutritious breakfast. The first part of the day should be dedicated to you.
• Evening Routine: Wind down with activities like reading or light stretching to prepare for restful sleep. Consider writing down what you’d like to accomplish tomorrow to get it out of your brain. This way you don’t think about it while you are sleeping.
• Learn to Receive: You lead a community, but you also need a place where you go to just receive. Somewhere that someone else leads and you bring a small piece to the group but you are not holding the group together. Use this group to fill up your cup so you can go back to your community and pour from your overflow.

Here’s Why: Internal work fosters resilience and emotional intelligence—qualities essential for effective leadership. Leaders who prioritize their mental health are better equipped to handle challenges and support their communities. It shouldn’t matter what’s going on around you when you are doing your internal work you can handle it all with grace and ease. When you neglect your internal work you lack inner peace and can crumble under pressure.

Self-Care Strategies for Peaceful Sleep

To ensure restful nights, community leaders must embrace self-care as a non-negotiable aspect of their lives:

• Prioritize Sleep: Do the work to find out how much sleep is right for you. Generally speaking it’s between 6-9 hours of quality sleep each night depending on your physical and mental needs. Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time as often as possible. If you travel as part of your lifestyle, work on setting boundaries in this area for yourself and your team. 
• Engage in Physical Activity: Regular exercise not only boosts physical health but also enhances mood and cognitive function. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week; however, avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime as they may disrupt sleep patterns, unless you’ve found that this helps you sleep better. Building muscle is crucial so even if you are aging, remember muscle tone is helpful for keeping your physical structure caring the weight you bare as a leader.
• Practice Mindfulness: Incorporating mindfulness techniques can reduce stress and improve focus. Simple practices such as deep breathing exercises or guided meditation can be beneficial throughout the day or before sleep.
• Nourish Relationships: Foster connections with peers who understand your challenges as a leader. Engage in social activities that are purely enjoyable rather than work-related; this helps recharge your emotional batteries.
• Get the Supportive: Surround yourself with individuals who uplift you rather than drain your energy. Consider having a group where you can simply be yourself without the pressure of leading—a space where you receive support instead of giving it.

If you don’t have this already, consider joining the ThriveWell Collective, we are a community of community leaders. People who are sometimes guilty of putting others first and who need to be reminded to keep the mission the main things. We will pour into you so you are at the top of your game, in good health, and even give you tools and accountability to increase your wealth. We believe the more money you make the more people you can help, so we share tips for making more online. 

The Path to Peaceful Sleep

Overall I’m writing this blog to help you sleep better at night, though you may have noticed the majority of what I talked about is focused on what you do through out the day. That’s because sleeping peacefully is about feeling safe and your brain will not feel safe unless you are aligned with your mission, taking care of yourself, and making sure your priorities are in the right order. 

By addressing these three key challenges—putting others first, losing sight of your mission, and neglecting internal work—we, as community leaders can cultivate resilience and effectiveness. Prioritizing self-care is not merely an act of indulgence; it is an essential strategy for sustainable leadership. I’m not preaching, I’m caring. I am writing this blog for me as much as for you.

Ultimately, by investing in ourselves through structured routines, setting boundaries, maintaining focus on the mission, and engaging in self-reflection, we can ensure we are at our best—both personally and professionally—allowing us to serve their communities effectively while enjoying peaceful nights.

If you are losing sleep, join our community for more tips, tools, resources and even income generating ideas. Join the ThriveWell Collective.