What do you do when life has piled a mountain of work and responsibilities on you and you are feeling overwhelmed? How much of your brain is contributing to solutions?
Our capacity to handle stress, work, and life changes depends on several factors. In the world today resilience for each of us has been impacted by the change we have been living through. Let alone, all the unexpected change, loss of control, and negativity.
Soon, return to school and work plans will shift routines and our behavior again.
We seem to have become very good at creating stress. In our highly technical achievement-oriented world.
How Do You Balance and Recharge?
I am quite good at the time management and prioritization tasks. I make lists, I follow them, I set goals and measure progress. Many of us are good at these things. Additionally, there is no shortage of ‘how-to’ resources; and, even formal training on time management.
But, what about those things in life that you do that help you recharge?
For me balance allows me to recharge. In fact, balance in tasks that allow me to use all aspects of my brain. My analytic and creative brain.
I find it amazing how stress can interrupt my creative cycles. Creativity can solve any problem.
Time in nature helps me a great deal. Additionally, exercise and simply setting aside some time for a mental break to breath can make a big difference.
Some days when I leave work it takes me hours to discharge, and I often must fight my tendency to fix work problems in my mind when I should be enjoying my time away from work.
Modern Imbalance by Design
All the technical tasks, working in a high stress environment, and achievement-oriented focus is imbalanced thinking.
It entirely cuts out the right brain gifts we all have.
If you are immersed in an analytical work environment, you will be primarily focused on left brain function.
Our education systems, for the most part, are focused on left brain function. Additionally, we focus a great deal of our time on building these analytic skills.
A Primary Focus On Left Brain Activity
Having a primary focus on left brain activity is exhausting for me.
There is common belief that people are dominant on one set of skills meaning left-brain dominant or right-brain dominant.
Your whole brain is at work all the time! In fact, it is interconnected and always renewing itself.
Each of us is unique in how our brain experiences and reacts to the world. And, in how their path in life leads to specialization with development of certain aspects of brain function.
I do not agree that a generalized view of how people are built meets our needs as individuals. Furthermore, I do not agree that ‘the way you are’ is fixed permanently in life.
Your entire brain is available to you and if you choose can be developed to help you accomplish amazing things. Actually, amazingly satisfying things.
Maybe that left-brained scientist that developed the theories, studies, and papered results on brain dominance had a narrow view on possibilities.
I Seek Balance
I am aware that my work life can be primarily left-brain activity.
Additionally, I am a people leader. And, I have been for a long time. With this in mind, a purely left-brain approach to people simply does not work.
At work I step away from the calls and spreadsheets and email and I talk with people.
I listen. And, I get a feel for the mood of the environment. Critically, I get a feel for the wellbeing of the people around me. I do not have to.
I could meet corporate objectives by focusing purely on measured tasks. However, I seek balance.
Don’t Ignore Half of Your Brain
I just think a person ca not ignore half of their brain. Additionally, attempting to do this must lead to some unhappiness. An internal disconnect, maybe. Depression, probably. But, I have not researched this.
It is only a feeling I have. A feeling that it is healthy for a person to seek balance. To exercise all the aspects of our mental capability. And, I feel better overall when I make time for this balanced approach.
Your Brain Likes Boundaries
I have boundaries that support this desire I have for balance. At a set time each day I lock my office as I leave and I make dinner for my family.
Or, more recently, picnic at the park under the apple tree. The tree that smells like apple sauce from the heat on this seasons apples which have dropped in the grass.
Your Brain on Creativity
Occasionally I have enough time for painting. However, I have more time for this when I am vacationing. It takes a bit of a brain shift to really get into the creative mind to allow creative work to happen.
The left-brain tendency to break in and judge that last brush stroke can be quite strong. Particularly strong when I have been deeply focused on work and analytics.
There are some purposeful exercises artists learn to help make this shift into a creative mode. And, I have a few favorites that work well for me.
The Brain is Like A Muscle
The brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with exercise. I exercise parts of my brain in my work and make an effort to balance this out when not working.
I just left a very frustrating meeting and was feeling imbalance. As a result, I wrote this. And, now I feel much better.
Thank you for reading this far if you have. If this post does not read well it will be because my brain is currently lopsided.
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Good points. I appreciate the ‘balanced’ outlook and it follows that if we were meant to be ‘left’ or ‘right’ sided only we would have been given only one or the other. Two hands, two feet, two lungs…. one heart . The heart functions for all around it and carries a heavy load but still only one that does amazing work. If our thinking and life style is balanced then the heart has an easier time doing what has to be done. If you use both sides of your brain, in balance your life is easier and happier.
This is an excellent post. Thank you for sharing.