Pause, Breathe, Reset: Your Guide to Bouncing Back

It may be a cliché, but the one certainty we have is that nothing is certain – and change seems to be happening faster than ever. One thing we’ve noticed at Impact Factory is that clear patterns no longer exist when it comes to planning. The markers we used to rely on have shifted, vanished, or been completely reconfigured, and we’re having to be much quicker on our feet to respond.

It can be exhausting! 

Which means that we all have to be extra vigilant about not burning out and keeping our momentum going.  So, how do you ‘bounce back better’ when so much seems to be going at whirlwind pace? 

Slow Down and Assess 

My first step is to slow down.  I know, I know, that can be hard when you’re working flat out, but slowing down not only gives you a chance to breathe (a vital necessity, often overlooked!) and assess.  In my experience, people often react as though thinking time isn’t work-time; that they have to be doing in order to be working. 

Nope.  Thinking time allows me to step back so I can get a clearer view of what’s going on and what’s needed.  One question I ask myself is, “What are we doing because that’s what we do?”  In other words, are we doing something simply because it’s part of a routine, when our time could be better spent elsewhere? 

What could you chuck out or at least put on the bottom of the to-do list?  It’s hard to bounce if you’re carrying too much on your shoulders. 

Ask for Support 

We all (and I mean ALL) get overwhelmed at times and we can either admit it or pretend everything is just fine when it isn’t.  I’d go so far as to recommend asking for support before you need it.  It’s so much harder to see what’s needed when you’re in the middle of it.   

Assessing things can also yield some possible future overloads which means you can anticipate what additional help you might need ‘just in case’.  I’m not just talking about physical help (“Could I ask you to do the costings on this proposal; I just don’t have the time today.”); I’m talking about mental load help (“I could really use a half-hour of your time; I’m really stuck on what to say to this client.”). 

Distraction Review 

Distractions can creep in when you aren’t paying attention and can also be exhausting.  It’s worth taking the time to look at who and what are your distractions?  Do you always have to respond to texts instantly or pick up the phone when someone rings? Do you allow someone else’s priorities to become yours or take on someone else’s problems?   

It’s great to be someone people gravitate to for advice and help, but the danger is that your precious time could be taken up sorting things out for others at the expense of your own well being.  Which leads to… 

Set Some Boundaries 

Boundaries are one of the key tools in supporting your mental and physical health.  It’s not about saying no, it’s about being clear about what you can and cannot do and letting others know exactly what that is.  One of my favourite boundary-setting phrases is, “What I can do for you is…” I haven’t done a common knee-jerk response and said yes to a request and I also haven’t said no. I’ve made an offer and set a boundary at the same time.   

Get Good at Noticing 

One of the loveliest gifts you can give someone is to notice how they’re doing and saying something about it. Things like “I noticed you took a lot of courage to speak up in the meeting – I thought you were great.”; “You seem a bit down; would you like to have a chat?” “Your ideas for that campaign are spot on – creativity seems to come naturally to you.”  And so on. 

It’s really energising giving people acknowledgment – they feel better and so do you. 

To conclude:  the pace of change isn’t going to change anytime soon, but you can be in charge of your own pace and that will definitely help you Bounce Back Better! 

Written by Jo Ellen Grzyb