Rashaad Lambert is no stranger to hard work and busy days. As the founder of For(bes) the Culture and Senior Vice President of Community & Culture for Forbes, it is important for him to stay on top of all aspects of his health to ensure he can consistently show up as the best version of himself.
Ever vigilant regarding things that could pose a risk to his mental well-being, Lambert says the biggest threat to the mental health of Black people is the system of white supremacy and the subsystems it has created.
“It bleeds into other necessary facets of our everyday lives,” he says. “It’s a deeper threat to ‘high-performing’ or ‘high-functioning’ Black leaders and business people because it limits our ability to effectively enhance the lives of those we intend to serve. There are unnecessary, unwritten rules and parameters that we have to consider every day just to survive. In all actuality, the threat is probably the lack of intention and attention to dismantling said systems because they are woven into the fabric of this country, and as a by-product, the rest of the world; the same world that we have to live and work in.”
There are various ways in which Lambert is intentional about safeguarding his peace and mental well-being. Here are six tips he shared to help you do the same and excel in your daily life.
Get ample sleep
Busy people often struggle with getting enough sleep. While Lambert agrees it is essential to do so, he also points out that it does not necessarily have to be done within the constraints of a typical schedule.
“I don’t sleep on what people would consider a ‘normal’ sleep schedule. I work late in the night, and I work early mornings, but I take a series of naps throughout the day,” he explains. “Late nights and early mornings are often quiet times for most. If you want to be alone with your thoughts to focus, those are my suggested times. The mid-day is often noisy. Prioritize meditation and time for silence at any part of the day in order to reorder your thoughts.”
Take care of your body
For Lambert, keeping his mind healthy includes keeping his body healthy as well. He is conscious about what he puts into his temple and exercises regularly. However, he says going to the gym is not always necessary.
“During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time working out at home and I accumulated a lot of workout equipment,” he shares. “A few of my essentials are my inversion table for stretching and an electric massage therapy chair for recovery. I do some of my best thinking mid-workout, sometimes upside down, getting the blood flow going. I also stopped eating red meat in 2017, and I’m allergic to pork. I take the same vitamins every day, including vitamin C, sea moss and cod liver oil.”
Use lists to stay motivated
Lists play a major role in the founder and SVP’s daily planning, helping him stay organized and focused.
“Every day when I wake up, I make a today list. I make my weekly to-do lists on Sundays, and each day I take items that I intend to complete that day from that master to-do list and add them,” explains Lambert. “I only add between five and six things at a time that I feel I can actually manage. Completing an entire list of items is great for your mental peace. That sense of completion can be satisfying and encouraging. When you make a list of things to do, and you don’t complete it, it can have the opposite effect.”
Enjoy leisure travel
Though he most often travels for business, Lambert tries to make time during each trip for leisure activities he enjoys— whether it’s working out, bike riding or jogging.
“Some of my favorite places to travel would have to be anywhere in Africa, Paris, California, NYC and Phoenix. Travel for leisure is extremely therapeutic, especially when I can really disconnect and go off the grid. Morocco makes me feel like I’m in my own world. It’s definitely one of my favorites. Barbados, the Bahamas and Jamaica are also all places that feel like a home away from home.”
Practice gratitude
Each day, the entrepreneur makes time to reflect on things in his life he is thankful for. These subtle reminders have a huge impact on his peace and his day.
“It can calm your heart rate, clear your mind, and refocus your energy,” advises Lambert. “The first thing I do every morning is have a personal gratitude session. At times, I do this before bed.”
Disengage and disconnect
With the prevalence of social media and having information available and easily accessible at our fingertips, it can be tempting to try to stay in the know and up-to-date at all times. However, Lambert recommends making an effort to regularly disconnect.
“We do not always have to know everything that’s happening to everyone everywhere, every time, every day. Sometimes it’s best to not know. Plausible deniability. Oftentimes, we can get so caught up in seeing what’s trending on social media (or trying to be the trend), what this person said, what movie came out, what TV show is making headlines, that we lose sight of what’s truly important,” says Lambert. “A lot of those things also contain triggers that we do not need to constantly activate or reactivate. Let this be the first day that you seek a life without constant trauma or trauma bonding to mediums of entertainment.”