Getting ready for performance after summer recess
Have you achieved what you were aiming for during the first half of 2021? Whether you have or you haven’t, Summertime is a good moment to assess where you’re at right now, and how you’d like to proceed in the upcoming months after Summer recess. I like choosing a different moment than the New Year to set my goals and planned actions anyway. Because if something didn't work out, it can be challenging to think that you didn’t perform well ‘just that one day’ instead of considering your off-day as being one big failed whole year, right off the bat. Let’s dive in a bit deeper.
In case you think 'well yes, but failure is not an option in my book', I have another wake-up call. If you just keep going and going and are mainly focused on not getting stranded , then you have already bought your ticket to BurnOut-ville. Because then your energy will go in the wrong direction, backward instead of where you actually want to go. On that same note, it’s vital that you’re aware of what your drivers are. A positive driver can be something like ‘I can’t wait to win this award’, or ‘I’ve learned so much, and now I’m growing towards getting that diploma’. Negative drivers can be things like ‘My dad always puts me down, and I'm going to make a life for myself and get out of here', or 'Why did Sally get that promotion instead of me, I've worked here longer and achieved more, so I’ll work harder now', or 'The competition might have won that 500,000 euro grant, but next time, it might just be us, because we’re going to give it all we’ve got'. It goes for any age and any milestone in career, really.
If things didn’t go as you had envisioned for yourself, you can do two things to get back on track.
Decide which direction you want to go, if fate allows you. What’s the next station on your journey? Make it concrete and simple, and sum up 3 things that will help you achieve this.
Use the 1 bullet point to-do list to get you going. Go do 1 thing and achieve it. Tick it off. Make sure that this one task helps you further along on the path towards wherever you want to go. Just one task. Not two, not three, not ten. One. Because when you’re feeling stuck, overwhelm is sabotaging your performance, energy, and joy. After you’ve accomplished the one thing, go do another thing. If this feels good, and you feel inspired to get more done, you can go back to your normal routine of getting ahead. Take a break when you've done the task. If even that doesn't work, remember that any day can be a first day - or a last day. As far as we can tell, we have one life to live, and this is it. You don’t have to perform every day to 100% of your abilities. None of us do. But we can try and give it our best. Making the most of ‘a lost day’ empowers yourself, and makes you feel better when you lay your head on your pillow at the end of the day.
If you still struggle to get momentum, it might help to label this day a Self-Care Half Day’. Focus on something else, that makes you feel super healthy. Prepare a home cooked, healthy meal, go for a run, or some other workout routine you enjoy. Get some fresh air, go for a 10K steps walk, and listen to a podcast that inspires you in terms of performance. Jot down any thoughts that come to mind, start journaling. It helps get the pressure off, and it helps you regulate your emotions and stress levels. Keep in mind that this should ideally be no longer than half of your day. The second half might as well be about creating momentum using your raised energy level! Don’t let it become a ‘lost day’. Make your near-future self feel grateful for the decision you made by noon.
One more thing: switch off your screens a bit more often, and don’t read the news headlines as often as you normally would. The world is a crazy place at the moment, and this takes a toll on pretty much everyone, in one or more areas in our lives. However important it may be to stay in the know about what’s going on in the world, ask yourself if it’s necessary to see all the headlines, and all the pictures, and all the social media posts. Of course, everything that’s going on affects us all. And of course we are used to getting all the news with zero delay via the internet. But if the last eighteen months have taught us ANYTHING, it's that every day is one, and that it's up to us to decide what we allow or expel from our newsfeeds, hearts, and minds. Protecting your own sacred space is vital, if you want to stay healthy and sane in challenging times.
How do you protect your sacred space and time? For me, being an introvert who has grown used to performing and going ‘out there’, space and time to myself is of vital importance, still. Time alone, to process things that have happened, and to recharge my battery. It’s just how I’m wired. It took some time accepting myself in this regard, but I did. If you’re anything like me, protecting your me-time is crucial. If you’re a natural extrovert and social butterfly, planning more social time to recharge may be your way to go. Either way: create space to recharge in the way that suits you best, so that you can energise yourself for future endeavors.
Resilience is a key skill and quality we have the privilege of nurturing and growing. You really can never get enough of this. Resilience entails a lot of skills. It is a collection of skills and mindset configurations that make you stronger and more grounded in yourself, and more able to deal with ever-changing circumstances. One (of many) traits you can apply to your benefit, is curiosity. Being in a curious mindset is largely the opposite of feeling stressed or afraid. If you’ve found yourself being overwhelmed for an extended period of time, your creativity is being challenged in a rather negative way. In which case you can’t think of original ideas that propel you forward. This can be super annoying if you want to achieve something that’s close to your heart. Choosing curiosity over fear or anxiety may take courage in some cases. And perhaps it takes professional help from a coach or psychologist, if you can’t shift gears at some point in life. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Life can be a bumpy ride, and life happens while we were busy making other plans. Perhaps you’ve lost a loved one during the pandemic, or you’ve lost a job or a client, or you’re struggling with the aftermath of lockdowns, or are dealing with anxiety or depression for another reason. Getting counseling in any way you need, is a radical act of self-care and self-respect, and is the best way to go if you feel you’re getting in your own way for an extended period of time, and/or in complex situations.
So how can you temporarily turn that tension into curiosity? Three things:
Every morning, when you're either working out, taking a shower, or just doing your hair, think, "I'm excited to find out what happens today." If you feel confident, think “I’m excited to find out what will have worked out well by December.”
Then, think of something that makes you feel good.
Let the first thing you do in your workplace be something that works for YOU. Even if it is five minutes to watch a course video, draw up a sketch for a blog article, or anything else that is useful to you. Set an alarm for it, and then you're going to do what you need to do for work anyway. No one can take that moment from you. It’s yours! I know that this advice goes against what many performance mentors tell you. Instant gratifications doesn’t exactly prime you to work harder afterwards. However, if you do 1 thing that matters THE MOST to you for 30 to 60 minutes at the beginning of your day (get up earlier, to avoid jeopardising any set tasks that you have to get done in the morning), so that you guarantee that you are moving ahead towards your Big Hairy Goal, whatever else the day may bring. Make it a concentrated, worthy 1 thing towards that goal. Set an alarm, so you won’t get tempted to work longer on the Big Hairy Goal than would be wise, When you’ve ticked that off, pour yourself a nice cup of tea, and proceed with the planned tasks for the day. If you have enough energy left, go back to the Big Hairy Goal after your regular working day has been completed. (Don’t forget to rest - advice from experience. 😬)
Perhaps the most resilient thing you can give yourself during the rest of this year is...doing one useful thing a day, and forgive yourself for things that you haven’t achieved thus far. You’re not putting it off, but you’re prioritizing things that matter now in terms of working towards your ultimate goal, and that help you get better at your game. Open your heart to curiosity. Then that constant fear becomes your whiny little brother, instead of a scrutinizing boss.
Have a great day, and look forward to a productive, inspired rest of the year.