Weekly observations from the Balcony
In focus this week:
1.???Overwhelm being created by demands and expectations exceeding capacity. Capable people are rendered incapable as they take on more and more and unintentionally begin to slip up on their own desired contribution. It brings up a serious question around reasonableness in systems that are chaotic, uncertain, and ill-disciplined in discerning what will shift the outcomes of the game being played. People operate out of a fear of not being seen as capable if they declare that they cannot take on anymore. This is not a sustainable picture for individuals, teams or organisations and I do wonder when sanity will prevail?
It becomes imperative that individuals reflect on what drives their behaviour and how to begin making the necessary changes to pull back and focus on quality and purposeful delivery in pursuit of individual and organisational objectives. There is too much busyness and inefficient delivery resulting in people having to be in perpetual motion with little to no focus on recovery.
?
2.???Exhaustion becomes a by-product of overwhelm. How is it that high performance athletes recognise the value and importance of rest if they are to continue performing at the top of their game, but corporate employees miss this completely. There seems to be something present in systems that denigrates supporting individuals in their pursuit for optimising their health and wellbeing to perform better, despite countless wellness programs on offer. Everyone knows what they should be doing, so what is preventing them from doing it?
The unintended consequences of this way of being in systems, is that cognitive function is seriously diminished and so the quality of decision-making, problem solving, creativity and innovation are sub-par at best. What you have instead, is a bunch of humans going through the motions each day and hitting the repeat button daily. Not exactly ideal conditions for people to achieve the fullness of their potential. If individuals can’t achieve their potential, then neither will organisations. Sad, but true.
?
So, what can be done?
领英推荐
?
1.???Learn to say NO, not NOW and negotiate timelines that allow the space and time to deliver optimally.
2.???Respect your time and energy, if you don’t prioritise yourself, no one else will.
3.???Consider how many times you recharge your laptop and phone each day. Become as paranoid about your own energy running out.
4.???Look at how you start your day, it determines how the rest of it will go. If it starts frantic, it ends frantic.
5.???Get serious about taking mini breaks during the day to give your brain and body a break so that your brain/body capacity can be optimal for the demands of your day.
6.???Decide what deserves your attention each day.
?
If you are serious about shifting your overwhelm and exhaustion and you recognise that something within you has to change, get hold of me at [email protected] or book a free session at www.thepotentialityco.com/meetings/ . I am ready to empower you to realise your potential.
Landscape Architect | Passionate about combining ART & SCIENCE to design the OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT
1 年Just say no, not now……..I like that and am going to try that thank you thank you thank you
Director at Integral Supply Networks Johannesburg, South Africa and Perth, Australia
1 年Hi Wendy, Lovely to reconnect. Great article. The challenge is that most people in the world have a deep desire to say NO yet they say YES. This is an inherent fear of loss that has been learnt from early childhood and as coaches we need to work with shaping a new of of being. After all we are human beings NOT human doings! ??
Director at White Rabbit Consulting & Investments
1 年Love it Wendy. You made me learn many of these lessons, quickly. Key is that overwhelm can come externally but can be the same if not worse from your own INTERNAL dialogue and expectations as you say. A wise man once told me, "you create your own stress". So managing one's own expectations as well as those of others is key to maintaining sanity or at least a semblance thereof.