Start, Stop, Continue. Great concept, often used annually or six-monthly at best in workplace performance reviews to let you know where you need to change.
It got me thinking about how often we actually check in on ourselves. Most of us are guilty of waiting for a big sign that things are out of whack before we do something about it. Things could get really serious before we realise that something needs to change.
The difference between us mere mortals and the models of resilience (aka those that have it down pat) is that they are constantly checking in on themselves. Like a finely tuned race car, they are continually tweaking things to adjust the balance to ensure they are CONTINUING to function effectively. It is not a one size fits all circumstances, its about building in flexibility to adjust to the different circumstances going on in your life.
Resilient people are very clear on what their outcomes are in terms of health, relationships, work etc and know the subtle signs where they need to adjust to keep in general “life balance”. Assessing this weekly if not daily from a start, stop, continue point of view allows you to build sustainability in your life.
How clear are you on what keeps you resilient?
I read an article today on being productive which talked of the concept of Start, Stop, Continue. Great concept, often used annually or six-monthly at best in workplace performance reviews to let you know where you need to change. The best leaders are working with their people to give this feedback more frequently so the adjustments are less dramatic.
It got me thinking about how often we actually check in on ourselves. Most of us are guilty of waiting for a big sign that things are out of whack before we do something about it. It could come in the form of feedback from a partner, a friend or a doctor telling you that things need to change.
The models of resilience (aka those that have it down pat) are constantly checking in on themselves. They are continually tweaking things to adjust the balance to allow for the ebbs and flows.
A few years back, I was massively focussing on my health. I was struggling with chronic bronchitis which meant I was constantly on/off antibiotics. My body wasn’t getting a chance to fully function as it should. So I dedicated about 18 months to focus intently on my health with the goal of being off antibiotics solidly and feeling fabulous.
It worked! Not only did I feel much better, I got to the point where things were so finely tuned and I was so aware of how my body functioned, I noticed the subtle things on what worked for me and what caused a problem. As a result I could tweak things as I went instead of having to do a massive repair job because I was so far gone and didn’t realise what was causing the problem.
Ultimately, like the great bosses in the workplace that help us see what is working well and what isn’t, we should be aiming to recognise that in ourselves. To notice the subtle changes and tweak adapt along the way is essential to sustainability.