Continuing the Theme of Silence

So here’s an interesting discovery:  noise is exhausting.  That’s what I’m experiencing this morning.  For a variety of reasons I’m not feeling as energetic as I usually do.  Could be an “end-0f–the-week” thing, or even the result of my brain being in idea-generating mode for the better part of this week (like full-on, no-holds-barred, couldn’t-stop-it-if-I-tried idea-generating mode).  It could even be that my body is fighting a bug of some sort.  No matter what the cause, however, the fact is I’m tired.

This is not a new experience for me, and my guess is you can relate to it too.  Fatigue, after all, is part of the human experience.  And it’s definitely part of the leadership experience.  As a leader you’re on the go, on the move, doing what needs to be done, hearing what needs to be heard, responding to what needs to be responded to.  What I’m being reminded of this morning is that, when I’m tired — and in particular when my brain is tired — there’s a way that “noise” of any kind takes my already tired self and quickly moves me into the land of complete and utter exhaustion.  Which, given the world that we live in, is rather a hazardous situation.

I know I’ve talked before about the importance of silence — the importance of creating it, of accessing it, of allowing yourself to get still and really immerse yourself in it.  Have you tried doing so?  It can be a challenge, no doubt about it.  Everywhere you turn, there’s noise.  Even as I sit here in my “quiet” living room typing this blog, I’m aware of my child splashing in the tub, my other child muttering about the hockey stats, the furnace making some sort of white noise, my keyboard clicking away, the fridge humming, the dog breathing (actually, snoring) — sounds are everywhere.  And when I’m tired, these sounds feel prohibitive to my recharging.  So, what’s the solution?  My sense is that I need to let some of the sounds just be what they are (the furnace), do my best to minimize or turn off the others (my typing), and make reasonable requests of those around me to take the noise down, even if only for a few moments (reasonable means I’m not asking anyone to take a vow of silence, or stop splashing in a tub).  I’m realizing that one of the ways that I can circumvent the draining effects of noise is to consciously turn my focus to the sounds that are soothing rather than the sounds that are draining.  I’ve got to.  Because unless I do, I will spiral into total exhaustion, which doesn’t allow me to be any good to anybody.  Definitely contrary to playing my best leadership game.  And trust me; this lesson holds true for you too.

Bottom-line:  taking a break, giving yourself permission to rest, includes giving yourself permission to turn off or tune out the noise.  I’ve talked about finding answers in silence.  Believe me, silence can also recharge you.  So here’s my challenge to you:  carve out a 15 minute block and allow yourself to be as silent as possible, in as much silence as possible.  Immerse yourself in it.  Feel yourself recharge.  Good stuff comes from silence.

When The Fatigue Sets In (And It Will)

I know you know the feeling.  You’re bopping along, going about your business, sometimes for days or weeks on end, relatively uneventfully, accomplishing things, meeting with people, basically getting things done.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, you get jolted by the realization that you are tired.  Not just “oh-I-could-use-a-nap” tired, but really, “I-could-crawl-into-a-cave-and-hibernate” tired.  It’s rather like a wave that just comes along and almost knocks you off your feet, this type of fatigue.  It happens.

What I’ve noticed, both in my observations of myself and others, is that there can be a tendency to try and deny the fatigue.  Rather like a mentality that says “if I ignore this, it will go away” — except that it doesn’t.  Instead, it gets somewhat worse.  And the more it gets ignored, the worse it will get until it borders on the edge of debilitating.  And so, I’ve learned to notice and pay attention to  this fatigue earlier.  And I’ve developed some strategies for moving through it, addressing it if you will.  Here are my 5 favourite  strategies for coping:

1. Take a break.  It seems so simple, and yet it’s so often overlooked.  The truth, however, is that if you can take a break, you can easily avoid needing to utilize any of the other strategies.  The break doesn’t have to be long — even a 15 minute hiatus will do it.  Enough time to breathe and refresh your brain.  Which brings me to the second strategy.
2. Breathe, consciously.  I know you breathe naturally — it’s a sure indicator that you’re alive, after all.  But breathing consciously is different.  It actually draws your attention away from whatever concerns are present for you, brings you back to basics, and rejuvenates you from within.  Which is a great thing.  You can check out the breathing space on my website homepage if you need a refresher (www.stellarcc.com).
3. Switch gears –which is different from taking a break.  When you switch gears, you stop the activity you’re engaged in currently, and take up something new, preferably something entirely different, requiring you to use a different set of mental and physical muscles.  Switching gears forces you into a fresh perspective, gets your stagnant juices flowing and therefore revitalizes you.
4. Turn off the television.  It can be easy to plunk yourself in front of the tv in the name of “vegging out.”  But there have been plenty of studies pointing to the fact that television isn’t exactly mindless and it does in fact keep your brain buzzing — which requires energy — which doesn’t, ultimately, help you rest.  So turn the boob-tube off.
5. Get active.  Seems counter-intuitive, I know.  When you’re fatigued, finding the energy to get off your chair can be too much, never mind going for a walk.  But getting your muscles working, getting the blood flowing, can actually get the energy flowing as well.  You don’t have to go and run a marathon — just move.  Tai chi, yoga, a walk around the block — simple movements can refresh like nothing else.

Bottom-line:  the fatigue is inevitable, especially if you’re a busy person.  And you can absolutely overcome it.  The first step is to not ignore it, but acknowledge it.  Then, choose one of the above strategies to address it and shift your energy.  You might need only 5 minutes, or you might need a whole day.  But implementing one or more of these strategies when fatigue sets in– or better yet, incorporating them regularly as a means of circumventing the fatigue — will allow you to be your most productive, well-rounded self.  Which is a good thing.