These big shifts in the world are affecting everyone differently. At Lessonly, we sensed some of our teammates were overwhelmed but reluctant to say so. We wrote this note to remind people to take care of themselves. If you are sensing anything similar on your team, I hope having this template helps.
—Max
Subject: Quick note on taking care of yourself
Hey team, as I mentioned during the all-team yesterday: If you are overwhelmed, take a break. Take a nap. Take a day off. Take care of yourself.
We may be in this uncertainty for a while. Powering through it when your body is saying “no” is not a strategy I recommend. For example, I took Friday afternoon off because I was stressed from all the change and needed rest. I needed inspiration, exercise, and time to play. I have food in my fridge, I don’t have kids, and I do not feel sick, but I still have stress.
Your body will tell you when it’s time to hit pause, to step away from work, to take a walk. Being a hero, in my mind, isn’t about powering through these moments, but rather listening to them.
Some of you may be comparing your situation to someone else’s in order to validate or invalidate how you feel. Please reconsider that impulse. Your needs are not contingent on what someone else needs. Somebody else may be inspired more than ever by work right now. Honor and respect that. But know your response may differ, and that’s okay.
Talk to your manager if you need an hour, an afternoon, a day, many days. Taking time off to remain healthy was appropriate before, and it’s still appropriate now.
We only get through this one way—together. Healthy teammates are what we need right now. When you honor you, you honor us all.
Thank you for reading!
This is Max’s note—a weekly message from Lessonly’s CEO about learning, leadership, and doing Better Work. Sign up below to subscribe via email. No spam, we promise!