So, no one commented on my last post about not working so much. But from conversations with people who read it it seems that 1. most people do agree that you need many hours of not doing work to do work, and 2. that no one wants to write that online (#3 of the link). Funny thing though, because your boss also needs 20 hours (or probably more) of doing nothing to get the 20 hours of production.
Everyone will agree that we think better with a clear mind. When stressed, we hardly get anything done, because the mind if full of utterly random thoughts. I usually think like this (when stressed): OK, I need to get this done, because I need to do this that and the other today, but I can't spend too much time on this, because I do have to do that, and I have a meeting at 11, which we know will screw up my whole day and I wont get anything done. Around 4 I'm beat and haven't gotten anything done.
Heike and I are taking Tai Chi. There are 5 basic principals of Tai Chi, but here we will concentrate on one: Fangsong. Fangsong literally means release, but release in the meaning of relax. Make a fist and hold it tight....tighter...tighter...now let it go, relax it..relax more. This is Fangsong. Laoshi (tai chi teacher) told us that he used to work in sales and would hold the phone so tightly and push it against his ear when on the phone. There is no need for this. It just adds unneeded stress to the day (Does your ear ever hurt after being on the phone? I bet it does). When you go through your day, I bet you will find areas where you need to Fangsong, let go. When you sit at your desk are you completely relaxed? Are you squinting? relax the face. Do you make fists with your hands? relax the hands. My favorite is to make "fists" with the feet. Relax....let go...
This, I think, is a quick hit for more production with less stress (#3 on New Years resolutions). Relax the mind so you can think (my job is all thinking), relax the body to conserve your energy (for when you get out of work).
Extra Credit: Name the Seinfeld episode that introduced us (kind of) to the idea of Fangsong.
The first time I joined a pool league, I had a coach, or teacher for the first time. He told me my back hand on the Cue was holding too tight, and that was hurting my stroke.
ReplyDeleteHolding loosely with that hand improved my game greatly.
The only Seinfeld episode I can think of is 'Serenity Now'
Try not to end up like Lloyd Braun
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