Living Life Intentionally to Be A Better Leader

I recently spent 8 days in Canada, and half of the time was split between Vancouver and the city of Saskatoon. One of my biggest takeaways from the brief holiday was a sense of slowness to life in both Saskatoon and Vancouver, especially the former. It was a stark contrast to my 'city girl' life in London, United Kingdom. I realised this was a familiar feeling relating to life in Lagos, and other densely populated areas I had lived in. As a small-town girl with big-city dreams, I always thought my lifestyle was most suited for the large metropolitan cities, but the years have revealed (probably forcefully peeled off) my yearning for slow intentional living. The quest to live intentionally has not just transformed my perspective towards living in an environment that constantly rushes you along, but it has influenced my professional skills and personal relationships.

Living with intention versus living life in a rush are contrasting approaches to personal and professional development, and each has distinct implications for developing leadership skills.

Living Life with Intention

1. Understanding Intentional Living: Living life with intention is about making choices consciously, and aligning actions with values and goals. It means being mindful of the 'why' behind your actions and making decisions that reflect your true priorities.

2. Setting Clear Goals: Intentional living starts with setting clear, achievable goals. These goals could be personal, like improving health or relationships, or professional, like advancing in your career or developing new skills.

3. Focused Efforts: When you live intentionally, your efforts are focused. You spend time on activities that move you towards your goals, and you avoid distractions that don't contribute to your desired outcomes.

4. Continuous Reflection: Regular reflection is a pillar of intentional living. This means regularly reassessing your goals, strategies, and outcomes to ensure they still align with your values and what you want to achieve.

5. Prioritizing Well-being: Intentional living also emphasizes the importance of your own well-being. It encourages a balanced approach to life, recognizing that personal health and happiness are important for sustained success.

Living Life in a Rush

1. The Rushed Life: Living life in a rush often means being reactive rather than proactive. Decisions are made quickly, usually in response to external pressures or immediate demands, without considering long-term implications.

2. Multitasking and Overcommitment: A rushed lifestyle typically involves juggling multiple tasks and commitments simultaneously. While this can lead to high productivity in the short term, it often leads to burnout and stress.

3. Neglecting Deep Work: When you're in a rush, there's little time for deep work—focused, uninterrupted time spent on challenging tasks that push your skills to their limits. This can stunt professional growth and reduce the quality of your work.

4. Skimping on Reflection: Rushed living leaves little time for reflection. Without reflection, it's difficult to learn from past experiences or see the bigger picture, which is essential for effective leadership.

5. Sacrificing Personal Wellbeing: The constant rush can lead to neglecting personal health and relationships, reducing overall life satisfaction and effectiveness in all roles, including leadership.

Impact on Leadership Development

• Intentional Living and Leadership: Imagine you're a leader who lives intentionally, you are conversant with setting a clear vision, making strategic decisions, and inspiring others, because you do these for yourself. You demonstrate resilience and adaptability because you have a strong foundation in your core values and goals. You are also seen as more authentic and trustworthy, and even more effective in your leadership.

• Rushed Living and Leadership: On the other hand, leaders who live in a rush may struggle to develop deep connections with their teams or strategize effectively. The lack of reflection can lead to repeated mistakes and missed growth opportunities. Moreso, a leader who is always rushed may even foster a stressful work environment, which can erode team morale and productivity.

Choosing to live life with intention rather than in a rush can profoundly affect your ability to lead effectively. It's understandable that the world demands that we be in a rush and feel like we're always behind. Slow living isn't just about quiet mornings with coffee, but it's about living a life that fosters a calm, focused, and reflective approach that improves overall life satisfaction. In contrast, a rushed lifestyle might achieve short-term results but at the expense of long-term success and personal well-being. I've lived a rushed life, and it led me to burn out twice. While I search for my "perfect" environment and city, I will never stop living intentionally and slow even in a city that doesn't sleep.

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xoxo,