HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLNESS —
The Tortoise beats the Hare The never-ending list of things to do is real. No matter how many tasks we cross off, countless more are added. Will we ever reach the finish line? Of course, we will. But it’s not how many things we can cross off in one day that matters. Rushing through our to-do list only leads to miscalculations, incorrect orders, and mistakes. Sometimes costly mistakes.
So, how do we achieve everything that is expected of us, with more efficiency and less stress? The answer lies in both our mindset and our pace. Just like the Tortoise, slowing down allows you to work more productively. By avoiding the rush and being more careful, we can complete tasks in less time and with higher quality.
‘Positive Mindset + Positive Action = Great Results’ Why is this? Your brain is designed to work at its best when you’re feeling happy, focussed and calm – not rushed, stressed or busy multi-tasking. Your intelligence, your creativity and ability to solve problems, your memory, and your productivity are all significantly improved when you’re feeling positive, happy and calm, and significantly reduced when you are feeling rushed, worried or stressed. In other words, you make the best decisions, do your best work, have the best outcomes and are therefore most successful when you’re feeling good most of the time.
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Slow down to measure twice to be sure you have it right. Slow down to double check you have everything you need before you head off to the job. Slow down to breathe, relax your body and lower your stress. Take an extra moment to smile at your teammates, share a joke, look after each other and appreciate each other. Don’t get me wrong – this is not the time for slacking! But it is the time for taking an extra moment to breathe, check and be sure. Here are a few easy ways to slow your pace and lower your stress to enable a more productive and happier version of yourself to emerge. • Instead of grabbing your coffee to-go, change things up and order it to ‘have here’. Sit down and allow the heat of the mug to warm your hands. Savour that first sip. Resist taking out your phone, and instead take a few minutes to look up and quietly notice the world around you. These few minutes of calm will allow your brain to de-stress and result in a calmer, more focused and more efficient you.
