How fintech leaders can build their mental shape for 2023
As a fintech entrepreneur, it is unlikely that you are negative about challenges, setbacks or obstacles. However, the current situation will test even the most robust leaders. The sector is more shaken than a snowball. We see that competitors and colleagues scale back on growth forecasts and teams in equal parts.
As we zoom towards the end of the year, burnout and overwhelm also tend to loom as very real threats for so many of us. As leaders, we have a responsibility to our teams, investors and families to care for our mental – and emotional – well-being. Frankly, the last thing our communities need is another burnt out founder.
By introducing some simple self-coaching methods over the coming days, you can build the mental fitness needed to help you navigate the final weeks of 2022 and make the most of the seasonal downtime. So that you can enter 2023 and thrive as a leader.
Cognomie’s co-founder and CPO, Kate Hesk, shares how:
Start by understanding stress
First, we must truly understand stress. Specifically, how it manifests – it’s about having an awareness of how it presents itself to you. Stress is often linked to the experience of imbalance, challenged boundaries or uncertainty, so common in the current environment. And because stress spirals, we tend to find ourselves reacting. We lose self-awareness, and self-agency and vitally, forget our role in that specific dynamic.
That is why you build preventive Mental fitness strategies are key to long-term wellness. How can you notice, respond and respond safely to stress instead of letting it trigger you?
When you press the pause button on a machine, it stops. But when you push the pause button on people, they start – start to reflect, re-evaluate assumptions and think of a better way.
Mental Fitness is about making sure to take quiet breaks throughout the day – to check in with yourself, recalibrate and readjust. A quick walk around the block, a few deep breaths at your desk and make yourself a delicious cup of coffee.
Breaking up your day with mindful breaks helps you move from one intentional action to another, rather than zooming through your day on autopilot. And accumulate stress as you go.
Cultivate balance points in your own working day
A key symptom of stress is the lost sense of balance – the equilibrium that is essential to feeling and performing well.
Remember that balance is not a static state. Rather, it is achieved through the capacity to actively rebalance. The precarious work patterns in tech – all-nighters, sprints, investment rounds, product launches – can leave us dealing with intense levels of pressure and tipping towards imbalance – a major trigger for stress and burnout.
One option is to make sure you have consistent support during these times. So a dedicated coach, for example, can be essential in helping leaders regain confidence, calm and connection.
Setting clear boundaries is another important step towards mental fitness. As managers, loose boundaries can be a significant contributor to stress – as well as having the potential to throw whole days off course. You know those moments; an investor drops in from out of town, a customer issue pops up unexpectedly, or a team member needs a chat.
Being clear about your boundaries is an important survival tool: give yourself permission to say no when you need to.
Know that boundaries are not selfish. You don’t have to take that “pick your brains” coffee. Or do the podcast on your day off. Use conscious communication to be clear about your own boundaries and say no with kindness. Let this free up time for things that matter most to you.
Modeling this behavior for your team will also do wonders for their personal growth.
Know your non-negotiables
Sometimes it feels like the term “self-care” is overused. Especially at this time of year, when a frantic run to Waterstones for last minute gifts counts as ‘me time’.
Simply taking time for yourself is an excellent way to maintain mental fitness. So that you can enter 2023 with clarity and intention.
This is about knowing yourself. What is the daily practice that keeps you replenished and resilient? The things you can’t afford to let fall by the wayside when external pressures mount.
They are often simple things that you can incorporate into your routine – the morning run into the office, drinking two liters of water, reading an inspiring passage before starting the working day.
Get in touch with your non-negotiables and commit to honoring them throughout the day. Maybe create a mini checklist on Google Docs of your 3-5 non-negotiables. Challenge yourself with a five-day series. See how you feel at the end of it.
These tips aren’t about creating a whole new to-do list—I know you have more than enough of them. I’d like you to think of these as micro-moments of self-care: practical, quick, self-coaching practices we all have access to daily. And if you feel you need support, investing in a coach could be the best investment you make in 2023. In addition to the essential gift: giving yourself this permission to thrive.
About the author: Kate Hesk, CPO and co-founder, Cognomie, a coaching agency specializing in mental health. Cognomie also publishes the Global Mental Fitness Index, which shows the mental fitness levels of organizations across sectors and geographies.
