8 tips for treating yo self: A self-care guide for HR pros

Okay, fam. Whether you’ve been on an airplane or not, you’ve likely heard that cliche metaphor for self-care, i.e.

Put YOUR oxygen mask on first before helping somebody else.

Well, it’s true. I don’t care how good you are at swimming. If you’re drowning and somebody next to you is drowning too, you ain’t saving them. At least, not until you get your own house in order.

And let me just say this…

Most HR folks I talk to are drowning.

It’s easy to see why. Y’all are juggling…

• Recruitment
• Candidate experience
• Employee experience
• Policy management
• Compliance
• Payroll
• Culture

And the list goes on. And on. And on…

So, let me ask you something…

In this seemingly endless list of responsibilities, have you carved out some time for yourself? 

I hear crickets.

But don’t worry. That’s why I put together this list. Today, we’re gonna arm you with ways to treat yo self, so that you can treat yo team even better. The best part? None of these tips are going to take away from your day to day. In fact, they’ll do just the opposite. They’ll make you happier AND more effective.

So, get ready to reach for that oxygen mask. It’s officially YOU time.

Tip #1: Get enough sleep

I know. Your GP probably nags you about this already. But it’s a no-brainer. It’s also such an easy thing to do. Plus, it will have the BIGGEST impact on your overall well-being.

But don’t take my word for it. I’m just a lowly writer. The Sleep Foundation lists eight super compelling benefits to slumber. Among them, stress relief, improved mental function and improved mood. And that comes from science. Not yours truly.

So, what can you do to secure that sweet, sweet sleep?

Easy:

• No caffeine, nicotine or alcohol before bedtime
• No screens at least one hour before bedtime
• Get some exercise during the day
• Read a dictionary in bed… or, like, any book (especially if you need to get your mind off the day’s drama)

Chances are, you already know everything I’ve written here, so take it as a reminder starting today to practice better sleep hygiene.

Now, go catch them z’s.

Tip #2: Eat well

Look, I’m no nutritionist, but even I can tell you that junk in means junk out. Healthy eating can be a supremely contentious issue these days, especially given personal preferences and food sensitivities. That said, some rules will ALWAYS be true.

Here, I’m deferring to the NHS, who know what they’re talking about.

• Make time to eat EVERY meal (seriously, do not skip—even if someone books over your lunch for something “serious”)
• Drink water… lots of water… like 12 cups (women) or 16 cups (men) of water…
• If you’re gonna carb load, make it high fiber starchy carbs, so think wholegrains over white or refined alternatives
• Eat less saturated fat and sugar (honestly, I just gave up sugar in my coffee and OH. EM. GEE. Made the biggest difference)
• Eat less salt (they say 6g per day, at most)
• Eat more fruit and veg
• Eat more fish
• Try to be active (I do a little lunch walk to keep my hammies moving)

Big changes to diet typically don’t last so aim to make increment changes and stay consistent. Before you know it, better eating will become a habit, and you’ll start seeing the benefits.

Tip #3: Get physical

This one’s tough. But that’s okay, so are you.

Getting physical doesn’t have to start with you hitting the gym every day. It can be as simple as going for a walk or organizing workplace yoga sessions. Literally, anything that gets you in the habit of moving is a great place to start. Then, you can amp it up.

I can’t recommend Fitness Blender enough for beginners. You can do classes from the comfort of your own home. And they’re free. Check em out if you’re curious.

Tip #4: Meditate

Meditation is suuuuuper accessible these days, although that wasn’t always the case. For the uninitiated, apps like Headspace and Calm make it easy to get in touch with your inner guru.

The thing I most like about meditation is that you can literally take five and meditate from basically anywhere (seriously, I sometimes do it while standing up in the streetcar). And the benefits are MASSIVE.

First off, meditation allows you to exercise greater control over your emotions. And this is scientifically proven. It also helps you become more kind, among many other things.

There are TONS of types of meditation out there. I would let curiosity guide you to determine the best fit. Personally, I enjoy zazen. If you’re interested in zazen, I seriously recommend attending one of Zen Mountain Monastery’s free Zoom classes. I’ve done the intro class myself (it’s free) and it was a great primer.

Tip #5: Talk to someone, please

HR doesn’t have HR. Which can suck. When the going gets tough, who do you turn to? Yourself? I sure hope not.

If you’re fortunate enough to be a part of a team, make sure to have teamwide syncs where folks can open up and share what’s on their minds. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a team, use your manager. That’s literally why they’re there. Beyond that, seek out networks of like-minded HR pros. I know tons of people who like to vent anonymously on r/humanresources. There’s also friends and family. And therapists! Don’t forget therapists.

It doesn’t matter who you decide to lean on, just make sure you have someone in your corner.

Tip #6: Protect your calendar!

Even I do this. Set firm lunch breaks that others can’t book over. Create a daily meeting maximum that you can never exceed. I know a senior HR leader who gives themselves a mid-afternoon fifteen minute mindfulness session. That’s their time to unplug and be in the moment before they have to face the next wave of chaos. Whatever the case, make sure you’re protecting your time.

Tip #7: Career development

Join all the associations. Do all the training. Attend all the workshops and events. And do it on your employer’s time and dime. Anything you can do during office hours to level up will be an investment in you and your career. And that’s a good thing.    

Tip #8: Tooling

Start investing in technology that makes your life easier.

Tired of sweating payroll? Check out a tool like Rippling.

Performance reviews got you down? Lattice might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Recruitment a total pain in the a**? Meet Lever.

Tired of customizing payroll runs and offering pay advances? Don’t sleep on ZayZoon (don’t hate me for plugging… my boss literally asked me to. Plus, it’s a good tool. I swear.)

These days, there’s a tool for everything. Put together a list of the manual tasks that are eating up your time. Now, Google them. I swear you’ll find a SaaS product that could do the work for you in a fraction of the time for pocket change.

When you take care of yourself, you can better take care of your team

Which makes for a happier, more fulfilled workplace. I totally get it. A bunch of the tips outlined above aren’t exactly revelations. They’re tried and true. Simple, even. Just like the best things in life. The difficult part is making time in your extremely busy life to act on them. So bookmark this page as a reminder to treat yo self. You deserve it.

Love, ZayZoon ❤️