In our quest for success, most of us follow a formula that we simply assume to be true, one that has been anointed by conventional wisdom as the way to achieve. This formula says we should work harder and longer than the competition, work intensely, don’t stop or give up, look and plan ahead, and look out for your own self-interest.
And while this formula certainly has important elements of truth to it, psychologists are finding that it does not give us the whole picture of how to be successful. There is more to it, and following only the formula itself may do more harm than good.
For example, staying focused mostly on the future takes away from our focus on the present. We actually become less satisfied, less productive, and less companionable. When we constantly look to what we need to do next, we lose sight of what we need to do here and now, which is really what counts. When we start living in the present rather than the future, we actually accomplish more and connect more with others.
The pace at which we live our lives always seems to be accelerating. Partly this is because of our own mindset – we feel we need to be in overdrive practically all the time, “giving 100 percent,” never slowing down. But this is what leads to increasing levels of stress, burnout and disengagement.
Psychologists tell us instead to focus on becoming more resilient to stress, to find ways of managing the stress. We cannot do much about the demands life may place on us, but we can change the way we react to those demands by training ourselves to become more resilient in the face of challenges. We can do this, for example, by doing breathing exercises and finding other ways to relax and recover.
Psychologists say that instead of the push, push, push mentality, we need to learn to manage our energy. We need to take breaks from our work, for example, to take time to exercise and get enough sleep. We need to take time to reflect on what we are doing, to think about how we do it and how we can improve.
We need to take time to be idle.
At Opti Staffing, we take the time to get know our job candidates. We are selective in who we choose. We treat our people with care and respect, building long-term relationships. If you are looking for work in Anchorage area, give Opti Staffing a call today.