Topping UP Team Members
I work with work place teams who consistently seek HUGE output in high level stress environments, who sadly forget or neglect their elite machine that is their body/mind/emotions. They are what I term: Elite Boardroom Athletes or Elite Work Teams.
Workplace strains and sprains or emotional "injuries" such as constant frustration, anger, guilt, unhappiness, disappointment, blame and regret are a signs that some maintenance & support is needed for sustained longevity.
“I wish I could go back and tell myself that not only is there no trade-off between living a well-rounded life, and high performance is actually improved when our lives include time for renewal, wisdom, wonder, and giving. That would have saved me a lot of unnecessary stress, burnout, and exhaustion.” - Arianna Huffington (Thrive Global)
They aren't the only ones though that expect their amazing bodies to turn up day after day, function at optimum levels mentally and or physically whilst really putting it through the proverbial wringer. What this neglect does, is, diminish capacity: capacity to dig deep when really needed and the neglect of topping up leaves no replenishment of their energetic bank account. Just see how much coffee people consume for an energy hit for this to be true. True high performing elite athletes know the value of Rest and Recovery, in fact for some (the real dealers) RnR is often more important than actual training. It is part of their list of non-negotiables. It's part of the peak performance deal.
Luckily tides are turning and people ARE appreciating the notion of "look after thy self" (aka self-care) before problems arise, yet with burnout on the UP, perhaps these notions of self-care are only lip service sentiments!
The "Power of the Pause" is not a new notion, topping up the bucket, filling up the cup, all of these sentiments aren't new realms of thinking at all. So why do so few do it diligently and with ease and flow? BECAUSE of sabotage thinking.
Along with the fact that the human body is the most amazing system that can take an enormous amount of prolonged 'abuse' & because people think that self-care is all time consuming (when they are already rushed off their feet).
So here are just a few simple ways people in your team can top up their cup that - doesn’t take an earthly amount of time at all:
* Hum. Yes humming or gargling. It activates the VAGUS nerve and that is a very good thing.
* LSD. Breathing, not what you thought when you read LSD. Long, slow and deeply through the nose.
* Touch yourself. Again not what you were thinking. It is amazing what you learn when you give your liver, kidneys and spleen a bit of TLC with touch!
* Smile. It makes you feel better and costs $0.00
* Water. Drink it
* Fuel. Surround yourself in your workspace with the correct fuel to your system. What do I mean by that exactly? Well we all have an ideal mind/body/emotional state (a profile if you will) that just resonates, harmonises and "fuels our fire". If you want to find out more about your ideal fuel
