The Art & Act of Life – Work Flourishing
Build your Psychological Capital
NPR’s ‘Hidden Brain’ podcast series recently aired Dr. Kate Sweeney of UC, Riverside, CA talk about the tips on waiting well and the benefits of getting into ‘Flow’ during painful, uncertain times. I was delighted by the serendipity of how well it aligned with the topic of my writing this month.
Watch Dr Sweeney in this 1 min video on ’How to Survive Waiting’.
So many people are currently feeling thrown off track and out of control, due to global or local events. Some are living in constant anxiety. Then there are some using this time of uncertainty as an opportunity to submerge themselves and become lost in an activity that calls to them.
This isn’t just escapism. It is uplifting and strengthening. It is a priceless experience to submit oneself to a state of complete immersion in an activity that seems to take on a life of its own, moving you, guiding you smoothly and deftly, avoiding rocks or bumps like a flowing stream. This is the world of ‘Flow’. Optimize this ‘down time’ to step into flow, notwithstanding the turmoil around you. “It is better to look suffering straight in the eye, acknowledge and respect its presence, and then get busy as soon as possible focusing on things we choose to focus on.”
One more look at Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership and Performance Multiplier 5: PURPOSE
MYTH: Achievement and success lead to happiness and fulfillment.
A. Meaning and commitment are the key ingredients of purpose and lead to joyful leadership. Purpose has to be:
1) A stable and long term commitment
2) Meaningful to you as well as valuable to others.
“Purpose endows a person with joy in good times and resilience in hard times and this holds true all throughout life,”William Damon in ‘The Path to Purpose'(2008). Damon studied purpose in young people and categorized them into 4 groups.
Continue reading “Purposeful Work Part III”
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 5: PURPOSE
MYTH # 5: The key to fulfillment lies in seeking and finding the meaning of life.
Just as a compass is a navigational tool that points to the North Pole giving you your bearings, your “True North” is your internal compass representing your values and beliefs that you lead by and become even more effective when aligned with universal and timeless principles.
“Rather than grind out tasks on a to-do list while waiting to discover life’s ultimate purpose, 10X leaders find meaning and commitment in their daily activities”, say Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway. They believe that “meaning and commitment are the path to joyful leadership….Purpose endows a person with joy in good times and resilience in hard times.” If you want to live your dreams ask yourself what about your work is meaningful, speaks to you and fills you with zest and vigor. This will fuel you for the long haul and toughen you up for the rough patches.
Continue reading “Purposeful Work Part I”
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 4: RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships cultivated at work tilt the balance towards successful leadership. When we interact positively with others, levels of oxytocin ‘tend and befriend hormone’ go up, and levels of cortisol ‘fight or flight hormone’ go down. There is a physiological benefit to creating these positive interactions.
Continue reading “How you Relate at Work Part II”
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 4: RELATIONSHIPS
MYTH #4: The most important tools for a leader are power and control.
You may have heard of the ‘Easterlin Paradox’: a phenomenon that refers to countries that have flourished economically but have not improved the happiness of their citizens. USA has consistently ranked low on the GNH (Gross National Happiness) index. Focusing only on the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is limiting. Countries like Denmark, Norway, and Australia with a high GNH report a sturdy social support. Positive relationships make all the difference.
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 3: ABSORPTION (continued)
Ellen Langer in her book Mindfulness says mindlessness leads to “error, pain and a predetermined course of life”, whereas mindfulness “increases charisma, productivity…..health and even longevity”.
What you pay attention to will determine the quality of your life. Mindful engagement is like meditation. Practice regulating your attention even for 3 minutes a day, at home or at your desk. It is called brain hygiene allowing the synaptic connections in the brain to be cleaned out and strengthened. It is also known as flexing and building your attention muscle.
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 3: ABSORPTION
MYTH 3: Peak experiences are necessarily rare, a product of special and extraordinary events.
Of course, you cannot expect to be awed by what you are doing at work all the time. However, peak experiences do not have to be rare. You can nurture the ideal set of circumstances to raise such moments. You don’t wait for good things or ‘magic’ to happen. You make a pro-active decision to focus on what is positive and productive. You stay mindfully engaged doing what pleases you to meet a desirable goal.
Tal Ben-Shahar and Angus Ridgway’s SHARP model of leadership looks at Performance Multiplier 2: HEALTH (continued)
The 3 pillars of health as we know are diet, exercise and sleep. To keep them standing strong you want to attend to each one mindfully. Work smarter, not harder. Habits that hold these pillars up have to be regulated. A healthy diet loses its benefits if you indulge in overeating. Eat till you are 80% full. Exercising to the point of self-injury defeats any gains made. Walk between sprinting and restore energy. If you pull an all-nighter and are on borrowed sleep, your fatigue makes you as impaired as someone with an illegal blood alcohol content level. Aim for 8 hours of sleep and take short naps in the afternoon if you need to restore your energy.