Just Seven Things

Exploring why and how we do what we do, and how we can do it better

Archive for the tag “Mindfulness”

10 Jun 2008

Control, Stress and Fighter Pilots

I got to thinking today about control, mindfulness and stress. I think it was in the Times on a Saturday or Sunday that they use to have this great column by a Cambridge professor call Dr Happiness (or something like that)

I think he mentioned the stats about the sign-up differences in World War One (or Two – sorry so vague) between fighter pilots and bomber crews. Even though the mortality rates were significantly higher and the risks far more material for the fighter pilots than the bomber crews, the sign-up rates were far higher for calls of duty following their return from the first.

I have since thought that there’s probably underlying factors like general risk-taking and danger-seeking that would probably take the fighter pilots into their chosen career anyway. Dr Happiness’ point however was that it was all about control.

The fighter pilots felt in control of their own destiny. Able to manage themselves and their fate. Bomber crews however did not have the same ability. They relied on others to perform other tasks. To fly the plane. To manage the fuel. To navigate. To man the defensive gun turrets. To drop the bombs.

Why was I thinking about this? Primarily because of the control thing, and really trying to think hard and identify why there is such a hard-wired relationship between feeling in control and feeling happy? It seems simplistic, but it’s so deep-rooted.

I want to know why. Is it an in-built/ historic protection mechanism? A vestige of hunter-gatherer evolution that our social/ tribalism and modern-day team working has yet to wear away?

Relatively boringly, I know that it has such an impact on my work performance. If I feel I am in control, any amount of pressure can be applied and I deal in a fairly relaxed way. Out of control and the slightest thing feels like mental constipation.

Posted in Control, Mindfulness, Stress and tagged , , | Leave a comment
02 Jun 2008

Can You Structure Flexibility?

I’ve just spent a few hours going through a ‘structuring’ phase. I tend to got through alternating cycles of structure and flexibility when I get frustrated/ stressed with the prior phase. I’ve been through prolonged periods of structuring my time to achieve an optimal balance of tasks, projects and goals I want to achieve. Normally however I default to running a mezze of different systems which have pockets of structure in a generally flexible approach.

However, in my posts about trusted performance and trusted action systems and my questions about Why is Time Management so Hard? you can see that the stress of the things that I’m not doing, or the bouncing out of the ‘trusted system’ (the goading children) are paining me ;-)

So, I’m trying a time-bound structured system again. Not calendar-set and micro-managed, but introducing a set of time ‘pockets’ throughout the day which overall achieve balance. They are pockets of focus that are time bound, but when all are achieved throughout the day I should be taking the steps towards each of my goals and overall vision of success.

What am I hoping to be different? I have run my most successful ‘structured phases’ when studying for my degree and professional qualifications. I would balance out my study subjects throughout a time period into bite-sized chunks and literally close the book and pick up the next subject matter when the time ended. Although there was resistance in terms of wanting to continue studying subjects past the time slot if I was panicking about lack of understanding, the pressure of understanding the rest of the subjects and the exam deadlines provided me with quite ruthless ‘switching’ pressure.

The main difference to when I have tried previously is overall certainty of vision and goals I want to achieve over the next 1,3 5 and 10yrs. i am also very satisfied that my goals are balanced to maximise my happiness. I have a lot relaxation time (including everything associated with Just Seven Things) built into this structure.

The big question is whether I can maintain mindfulness and trust in this system (and whether my energies keep up with the pace I’ve set myself to achieve)

Posted in Focus, Mindfulness, Time Management and tagged , , | Leave a comment
20 May 2008
3 Comments

Why is Time Management so hard?

This was the question that first made me want to start blogging. It felt like the unanswerable question. It felt like the question that lots of people would think they could answer, but none truly could.

It’s probably about a year since I was thinking those thoughts. I’ve done a lot of reading, given a lot of presentations, had a lot of conversations and done a lot of thinking since then.

A number of times I think I’ve got the answer. Someone has told me on paper why it is so hard. I love Mark Forster’s view in Do It Tomorrow:

‘Imagine the Reactive Brain as a lizard sitting on a rock in the sun. If it sees a threat, such as a predator, it scuttles under the rock and freezes. If it sees a juicy bug which has strayed to close, it will snap it up. It doesn’t have to think about it. It acts as a pre-programmed reaction. It really doesn’t care that much at all about the Rational Brain’s plans. The only thing it cares about is whether they constitute a threat or a nice juicy bug.’

I accept Brian Tracy’s admonishments in Eat That Frog

But I feel like I am possessed. Don’t get me wrong. I’m good. I’m efficient. I am incredibly mindful. But sometimes (a lot of the time) I (imagine) I feel like I have Tourette’s. I can’t help no focussing. I feel like there’re two little children inside of me goading each other on to be naughty and not focus on the Frog.

Posted in Mindfulness, Time Management and tagged ,

Post Navigation

Newer Entries →