It turns out that lots of data and a logical approach can cause bad decision making. In a corporate role it can sound counterintuitive, but brevity and intuition are your friends.
Read moreChange your environment to change your mind
Time goes by, and then...the niggling voice comes back. It says "what's the next thing? You could be doing more". And let's be honest, the voice is tiring. I can't say I greet it fondly when it returns to my life. Pushing me again. But it's definitely better than sleepwalking through life in old patterns.
Read moreAre you being a hypocrite?
We can say we want one thing, but sometimes our behavior says something different. Challenging question this week - where in your life are you being a hypocrite?
Read moreFeeling frustrated?
Frustration can actually be a really useful emotion - it tells us to have a look at what's really going on and make a change.
Read moreOn being perfectly imperfect
I thought I'd gotten over the old feeling I had of needing to do a great job all the time - until it reared it's head again last week.
Read moreThree steps to leverage your strengths
The best approach is always going to be your approach. Take the time to identify your strengths and actively use them to get fast results.
Read moreRaising our self awareness to manage crisis
While we're in lock down, we're spending a lot of time in isolation with our own thoughts.
And if your mind is anything like mine, it's a pretty busy place. So it needs active management now more than ever …
Things will NOT be better 'when'
A common thought pattern that holds people back is the phrase ‘things will be better when...[x,y, or z happens].’ Pause for a moment now - when have you thought or said that?
Read moreIt's time to assess your stress
This week I want to check your stress levels. Because I'm worried that people feeling overwhelmed at work is becoming the new normal.
Having a bit of pressure can help us perform at our best. So I've been reading more about resilience with the aim of helping us to find that balance - the elusive peak performance before stress becomes too much.
Have a quick read about the Human Function Curve - this article discusses the following graph:
You'll see that peak performance happens when we're stretched outside our comfort zone, but haven't tipped over the edge into overwhelm or ill health.
So where are you on the overload scale:
- a comfortable stretch?
- an uncomfortable stretch?
- overload?
In my experience, people often answer that they're stretched, borderline stressed, but coping. This is a dangerous place to be for extended periods of time.
So it's important you get clear on your own warning indicators. Here are some questions to help:
- what happens when you're in overload? What would you notice?
- what are the first signs that you are feeling stressed?
- what happens if it gets worse? Where might it lead?
The purpose of this is to catch it early so that you notice, draw back and regenerate your energy.
So whilst I hope you're currently feeling good about your work and managing the balance, it's worth taking 10 minutes to answer these questions so that you're well prepared to notice the signs if the pressure rises.
P.S. Peak performance is about operating under a bit of pressure at the edge of our comfort zone. But it's important we know our own warning signs so we don't tip over into stress.
The one word that changes everything...
Notice how this feels: "I could never do that" vs. "I could never do that...yet". It's a clever re-frame that makes us feel resourceful. We may not know all the answers now, but we will.
Read moreCelebrate something that went wrong this week
To me, saying (inside my head) that I’m experiencing ‘temporary defeat’ is more palatable than ‘I’ve failed’. It’s short term. I can easily move on and succeed.
Read moreEverything is figureoutable
Every time you catch yourself thinking ‘I know this already’ instead ask yourself ‘what can I learn from this’. Actively seek out the learning opportunity so that your brain is engaged…
Read moreI know why you don’t have what you want...
You don’t have what you want because there’s a part of you that is feeling threatened by having it. A part that believes it’s not safe for you to have it.
Read moreImproving your decision making skills
Do you know, on average, how many decisions we make in one day? Go on, guess before you carry on reading.
Read moreMake an impact - have an opinion
Unfortunately there’s plenty of examples of group think in corporate life. You know - the people who always agree with the boss and make obvious generic statements…
Read moreYour holiday checklist
Whether you're stay-cationing or going on an adventure abroad it's worth getting your brain in 'holiday mode' with a bit of prep before you head off. Because we all want to maximise holiday vibes, right?
Read moreWhy you need to get better at dominoes
Chain reactions are powerful. If you put thought, time and energy into toppling that first domino, you can create extraordinary results.
Read moreWhat are you going to START doing?
Next week we’re launching into the second half of the year, so it’s time to make some new commitments.
I was going to write ‘new goals’, but I know that the word ‘goal’ comes loaded with pressure…
You need these cartoons in your life -->
I like them for a few reasons. Firstly, they make me smile! Secondly, I like that they show the division between what our heart wants and what our brain wants. And to ruin the punchline - they often want different things.
Read moreMaking uncertainty feel safe
With uncertainty rife in a rapidly changing world, we as leaders need to support our teams to cope and thrive.
In psychotherapy there are four states of uncertainty and I think these are relevant to life in corporate.