Do you sometimes rush from one task to another feeling frazzled, only to realize by the end of your day, that you haven’t really accomplished much? You are not alone! We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. Therefore, most of us are conditioned to keep ourselves busy, whether it’s productive or not. This rat-race mentality is taking a toll on our well-being, confidence and fulfillment. Here is how you can break this unproductive, depleting habit and create more spaciousness and ease in your life and work.
Tony (not his real name) came to his coaching session feeling frustrated and frazzled. He had spent all day racing from one meeting to another yet felt that he had accomplished very little.
Tony wanted to explore how to create more spaciousness in his workdays. He had already noticed that days like the one he had just experienced were not uncommon.
Notice How Frazzled Manifests in Your Body
I suggested that Tony tune into how this frazzled feeling was manifesting in his body. Tony became aware of pressure he felt around his eyes and noticed tension in his chest. “Let’s take a moment to thank your body for sending these helpful signals.” I suggested. After a few moments of sending gratitude to his body, the pressure in Tony’s eyes and chest subsided.
Before you read any further, check in with your body. What are you sensing? Once you notice your sensations, as uncomfortable as they might be, send gratitude to those sore spots. Thank your body for communicating with you. How does your body respond to your gratitude? Take a moment to notice any shifts that might be occurring.
Become Aware of What Expansive Feels Like
I asked Tony, if he could recall a time in his life, when he experienced a feeling of spaciousness. “It’s been a while,” said Tony. “The last time I felt expansive was when I was on a month-long bike trip through California, a few years ago.” I invited Tony to bring himself back to that riding experience. “It was amazing!” exclaimed Tony. “Fully in the moment, always just focused on the road, my pedalling, the scenery and then setting up camp for the night.”
“What are you sensing in your body now, as you recall this wonderful experience?” I inquired. Tony noticed a sense of aliveness and ease in his eyes and his chest felt free and open. I acknowledged Tony’s exquisite awareness and invited him to savour these wonderful sensations.
Before you continue reading, remember a time in your life, when you felt expansive. Once you are connected to a positive memory, let yourself re-experience in your body how you felt. Just like Tony, I encourage you to savour any pleasurable sensations that this memory evokes in you.
Recognize Early Warning Signs of Frazzled
Once Tony had soaked in his pleasurable sensations, he said: “I want to find a way to experience this kind of ease and freedom more often. I am done with running around like a squirrel.”
Because we are so conditioned to pushing ourselves beyond our limits and being busy, it’s important to catch ourselves more and more quickly when squirrel behaviour takes over. I asked Tony to tune in and notice the early warning signs in his body. After a moment of silence, Tony realized: “When I am at work and I start touching my eyes, that’s a great clue.”
Take a moment now to notice your own early warning signs. How does your body let you know, when you are in squirrel mode? Jot down your insights.
Let Your Body Help You Shift
I inquired what might help him to shift into a more expansive state. Tony paused for a moment and then recognized that stepping back, looking at the bigger picture and reprioritizing his next action steps were crucial elements. “How might your body help you shift, Tony?” I inquired. Tony suggested that he could do a few push-ups to reconnect with his body and then look at the bigger picture. He was getting excited to try his new approach the next day in the office.
How about YOU? What would help you shift into a more expansive state, quickly? How might your body help you make the shift from frazzled to calm and expansive? You may want to take some quality time, such as a walk to tune into the wisdom of your body. Once you receive your body’s wisdom, experiment with your body’s way of shifting from frazzled to calm, focused and expansive throughout your work day.
Now that you are well on your way towards creating more space in your life, take another powerful step. Book your free career clarity consultation, now! I look forward to exploring how I may support you in creating your bigger vision for success.
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