So the year is fast approaching its apex and although there is a massive pressure built-up to get as much done as humanly possible in this final stretch – it should be said that it’s okay to start taking it easy and right before tinnitus kicks in, to turn down the volume just a little bit.
We can all agree that this year has been extremely unpredictable, to say the least and (without any lube) it’s taken almost every business for a rough ride; leaving many limping away in shame.
I’m usually one for telling my clients to end the year off on a high note, with high-energy and a force not to be reckoned with, but this time is a little bit different.
It’s been tough. So don’t push yourself to the edge, we’ve made it through one crazy year.
Fight, Flight, or Just Chill
Other than the fact that the year has been emotionally taxing on everyone, dealing with a crisis that nobody could have foreseen, there are numerous reasons to be counting your blessings and taking joy in the fact that you’ve made it this far.
With a barrage of complications putting us on edge, Covid has certainly left behind a rotting and pungent smell.
When Ramaphosa pops up on TV, we’re left with surges of stress and adrenaline – what now? Another lockdown, more regulations? Constantly in a state of uncertainty, we find ourselves causing more harm than good.
In typical situations that call for a fight or flight response, our bodies produce the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. We’re forced to make quick decisions that cause a momentary stress for us and have to deal with the outcome as quickly as possible.
However, this pandemic has forced us on a slow-drip of these stress hormones; giving us short doses every time a new rule, regulation or barrier is presented to us. This cannot be healthy and certainly creates high-levels of discomfort in our psyche.
This slow release of hormones makes us anxious, edgy and hypersensitive (almost like a bunch of crack addicts) which in itself is physically and psychologically draining, taking a hefty toll on our minds and bodies.
We’re certainly not getting enough of the feel-good hormones, serotonin and dopamine, and need to seek out some of that good shit to find some balance amongst the chaos rummaging through our bodies.
That’s why it’s so important to ease off on yourself, a little bit more than usual. Take a bit of a chill pill and relax. I’m not saying drop everything, say “fuck it, I’m done” and walk away. Just don’t be so hard on yourself to reach unrealistic expectations for yourself, or your business.
A Three-Phase Plan to Find A Bit Of Solace
In the struggles that businesses are facing, there needs to be some sort of comfort found.
By constantly attempting to seize the day, ‘carpe diem’ acts as an anchor and defence mechanism, instead of a motivator. If I stay as busy as possible, I don’t need to face the guilt and think about all the stress that wants to give me an ass-kicking.
Don’t be trapped by the guilt of being highly productive; being a little bit useless or lazy is OKAY. It doesn’t have to be binary – either keep producing (1), or I’m useless (0).
You’re only human.
Take a little break and think about these three phases to deal with the end-of-year demand:
Phase 1: Is to understand. Become aware of the circumstances and understand the threat to your well-being. We all know that Covid is a huge reason for our current state of stress and this can extend to financial insecurity, guilt and anxiety around what could come next.
Phase 2: Show compassion (to yourself). There’s no better time to take a step back and show a degree of love towards yourself, be compassionate towards the hell that you’ve gone through, at least you can rest assured knowing that you’re not the only one. Give yourself time to rest and recover a little bit. Find the dopamine and serotonin in life to bring back some of that swagger.
Phase 3: Be a little bit fatalistic. I don’t generally believe in fate and prefer knowing that I have control over my circumstances, but it’s important to sometimes go with the flow, instead of trying your hardest to swim upstream. What are you constantly fixating on in your head? Let it go. Not being aware of the future reality that awaits is perfectly okay. It doesn’t serve you to wonder “what if?” rather deal with what is.
A quote by Eckhart Tolle, that certainly resonates with me, “life will always give you the experience that is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience that you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment,” goes to show that certain things happen for a reason and are meant to shape and mould you into a better person and business-owner at the end of the day.
Being present, living in the moment and finding acceptance of the current circumstances we’re being faced with will bring you far more peace-of-mind, than by needlessly stressing and wondering about what could be.
It’s okay not to over-work yourself over the next few weeks. Don’t push yourself too hard and have the burden of unnecessary pressure on yourself. You’ve done your best.
Focus on the easy high-impact work in the final stretch of the year and don’t bother working too hard on difficult low-impact work that will keep you in a state of crazy.
I leave you with this final quote:
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality,” Lucius Annaes Seneca.
I’ve been working hard to find inner peace and to be guilt-free in this time of intense change. It can be difficult to ease the mind.
If you’re facing that crunch and have an outpour of stress that your business is suffering, don’t hesitate to contact me. Sometimes it helps to have someone that has your back and understands what you’re going through and that you can talk openly to:
+2783 253 3339
