Thinking tools for boosting energy

Builders are facing many challenges in the current economic climate, from pricing jobs that go nowhere, to finding decent-sized projects and rising material costs. These hurdles, combined with the physically demanding nature of the job, can drain energy levels. The good news is there are simple yet effective tools that can make a big difference. By making subtle shifts in our thinking patterns, we can experience a positive impact on our emotions and energy levels.

The starting point is getting to grips with the evolutionary hangover we all have (nothing to do with too many beers on a Friday). We all have a hardwired negativity bias in the brain. This bias served our ancestors well, keeping them alert to potential dangers and triggering the fight, flight, or freeze response to any sign of that legendary sabre tooth tiger.

However, in today’s world, this response is often unhelpful and can cause unnecessary stress. Whether it’s a grumpy subbie, an order not turning up or the apprentice leaving that brand new power tool out in the rain, our brains still flood with cortisol and adrenaline, gearing us up to fight, flight or freeze. And punching something, running fast or being paralysed by indecision or fear are not usually the best courses of action!

Here are two science-backed thinking tools to try instead:

The CAN technique

When faced with a challenging situation, it is easy to become consumed by worry and focus on elements beyond our control, such as price increases, weather conditions, or the looming due date for paying tax. The CAN technique helps us redirect our mental energy towards what we can control and let go of the factors outside our influence.

Apply these three steps to a difficult situation or challenge:

1. Control: Identify all the aspects within your control, where you have leverage, influence, or room to manoeuvre.

2. Accept: Acknowledge the things you cannot control and learn to let go of them.

3. Now act: List steps you can take to deal with the situation. For example, Will is frustrated by the time he spends pricing jobs that lead nowhere. It’s taking a toll on his mental energy and causing him to worry about his business at night. His ‘CAN’ lists could look like this:

What can I control?

• The level of detail in my quotes

• How much time I spend

• How I communicate the quote to clients

• Types of projects I choose to price

• Types of clients I provide quotes for

• Attitude and mindset

The Optimistic Thinker

Extensive research shows the remarkable benefits of optimism span both mental and physical wellbeing, including reduced stress, improved immune function, and increased happiness and productivity. Dr Martin Seligman’s ground-breaking work discovered the thinking style that helps people not only bounce back from adversity faster but also capitalize on their successes.

When faced with a setback, our negativity bias may lead us to catastrophise or see the situation as worse than it is. Try looking at the situation through the eyes of The Optimistic Thinker and ask yourself three questions:

What do I have to accept?

• Cost of materials putting clients off

• Competitive market conditions

• High interest rates

• Economic uncertainty

What can I do now ?

• Give clients initial, less detailed quotes with estimates and approximate ranges to save time and assess their interest.

• Engage in discussions with clients during the quoting process to build rapport.

• Develop a standardized document showcasing my experience, expertise, and testimonials to demonstrate value.

• Follow up with clients who seem like a good fit.

• Check in with others in the industry, share ideas and insights, and remind myself I’m not alone in this tough time.

• Embrace a growth mindset: for every loss, ask myself ‘what can I learn from this for next time?’

• Build a profile of the types of jobs and clients I’m more likely to have success with and focus on finding and nurturing those opportunities.

The CAN technique helps you to have a bias toward action, giving you confidence and motivation to move forward proactively.

1. Is it really permanent? A pessimist might think “subbies are always unreliable”, “the apprentice is always so forgetful”, “costs are always going to increase”, which makes you shrug your shoulders, say to yourself “what’s the point in trying?”. Challenge yourself and check – “what’s temporary about this situation?” Not all subbies are unreliable, the apprentice is learning (and does remember his lunch!), and some costs have stabilised and are likely to stay that way for a while.

2. Is it really pervasive? A setback often feels all-encompassing, affecting every aspect of life or business. “The contract cancellation will affect the whole business”, “the delay will set back all the projects”, “their late payment will make us default on our loan re-payments and I’ll lose the truck”. Optimists have a more balanced perspective, recognising the limited scope of the setback. They can see where a failure is specific to a project, and can point to other things in their lives that are still going well.

3. Is it really personal? Pessimists tend to internalize setbacks, blaming themselves and engaging in negative self-talk – which is a real handbrake to performance on the job. “I’m useless at planning”, “what an idiot”, “I stuffed up the numbers again”. Optimistic thinkers, on the other hand, look for external factors that may have contributed to the situation. They don’t dodge all responsibility for their actions, but they do consider other circumstances that played a role. Maybe the client kept changing their mind, the supplier’s pricing was hard to decipher, or you rushed the quote this time so you could get on to the next job?

Thinking like an optimist helps beat defeat and boosts your mood, energy and perseverance.

Conversely, when something positive happens, avoid being a dismissive pessimist. Embrace the reasons behind the success that are permanent, pervasive, and personal. Pessimists tend to view successes as temporary, situation-specific, and driven solely by external factors. For example, “We’re ahead of schedule because we got lucky with the weather (temporary), this particular site is easy to access (specific) and the client is super chill (external).”

This type of thinking prevents you from recognizing your skills and strengths that can be applied to other areas of life. The optimistic mindset seeks the three Ps: permanent, pervasive, and personal. “I (personal) always (permanent) think ahead and adapt to changes, so I can manage multiple projects at the same time – and also still have a great holiday when the weather is dicey (pervasive).”

This style of thinking helps build positive momentum, confidence, and self-efficacy, providing you with vital energy to take on the next challenge.

The Optimistic Thinker:

• When things go badly, ask yourself how permanent, pervasive and personal is this really?

• When things go well, look for the reasons that are permanent (always), pervasive (everything) and personal (me).

In summary, the CAN technique and the Optimistic Thinker are tools that help us to be more mentally agile. By changing our thought patterns, we can cultivate more helpful and constructive responses to situations, gaining time, mental and emotional energy.

The Wellbeing Works provides engaging and practical workshops that teach proven mental tools, derived from the latest research, to help individuals thrive under any circumstances. To learn more, visit www.thewellbeingworks.com.