When you set a big lofty goal with no clarity on an achievable practice that will help you attain the goal, you are setting yourself up for failure. 

Stress and burnout remain the legacy of 2021.

It doesn’t have to be so!

There are management skills and tools that help.

Focus on this 👉 Use process NOT power.

The trick is in committing to the process of building a new skill or habit instead of relying on the power to stop a bad habit or energy. 

Think about the food industry and diet culture as an analogy. You’re much more likely to have success managing your health if you focus on building healthy food habits by introducing a variety of whole foods into your life. If you focus on cutting out all sugary treats forever, and try to invoke superhuman will power. you’ll likely fail and eat that cookie before the end of the morning. 

The same applies to stress.

Life will always be unpredictable. Train yourself to be calmer, even during the storms. Keep a small and powerful set of easy and sustainable tools at hand in your stress management toolbox.

Forget lofty goals!

They are more of a hindrance than help.

‘Eat the elephant’, one bite at a time…

Step 1: Manage stress by learning to tune out the things you can’t control

Step 2: Bring increased focus to the things you CAN control

Add a lifestyle habit that is achievable

When you start a habit, the looming question is usually ‘will this fit into my life?’ 

Here’s a visualization technique to help you answer that. 

Imagine you want to build a mindful doodling practice. Think of yourself 2 years from now. Sitting at a table, with your favourite pen or pencil, doodling on a piece of paper you lovingly picked out. Does that come naturally? 

If it does, start one step at a time.

Today, take a 15-minute break. Doodle something – on a napkin, a sketch pad, or a tablet. This tactile act will calm your central nervous system even from the first go, and reduce overwhelm.

Do it again tomorrow.

Remember, this is not about ‘do I want to’ rather it’s about making the goal possible without making big changes to your schedule.

The time to set yourself up for success is now

Habits never stop, even when life gets busy, they become part of your everyday. Like brushing your teeth. Sure, we’ve all taken liberties with even that habit during the pandemic! But core habits never stop completely. That’s what sustainability is all about.

Think about all the stressors in your life right now.

What is one thing you can do to provide relief?

Will that habit fit into your life for the next 2 years, without overwhelming you even further?

Make sure you bring this habit front and center.

With a spirit to achieve rather than overwhelm.

Work on it and start to build this as a habit. 

Habit building can take anywhere between 1-2 months. That time will give you the solid foundation you need to continue.

It’s always about what is right for you. 

Each person has a different way to build a foundation.

Are you looking for quick results and implementing a simple habit with your team at work? 

Start by implementing this free 5-day doodle habit with a core team of 3.

Are you an individual looking for stress relief and more creative breaks… start here.

 

This blog post was originally written and published from our Doodle Breaks page.