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Over the past year, we’ve seen and experienced resilience tested to the limit. But how do you come out on top?
How can you stay focused and maintain a positive mindset when things get crazy? We reached out to eight business leaders to find out. Here’s what they said.
Replace anxiety with positive activity
“Having recently left Corporate life, now working for myself, it is relatively easy to avoid getting overwhelmed. I can manage the flow of work and make sure I am spending most of my time working on things that give me ‘up-energy’. When it does get a little hectic, I replace anxiety with focussed and positive activity.”
Ron Arnold
Managing Director at 11eight
View situations as challenges to overcome
“Stoicism. If you Google it, the definition sounds pretty sh*tty: ‘the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint’. I prefer to think of it as a philosophy of pragmatic optimism.
“At my best, I’m good at keeping even keeled, which I’ve recently discovered is basically stoicism. If sh*t hits the fan, I know getting angry or fuzzy-minded won’t help, so I try to see these situations as challenges to overcome with a clear-minded approach and a smile on my face.”
Russ Macumber
Strategy Director and General Manager at Impressive Digital USA
Pause, regroup and reach out
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”Admittedly, I have always needed to manage a tendency to be reactive to things which can really easily throw off plans. When I feel like things are getting a little crazy, I make a conscious effort to pause and regroup my thoughts on what the priorities are - being realistic about what's within your control and what's not. But my best way of maintaining a positive mindset is to reach out to my team or peers, bounce around ideas and get a sense check.”
Maria Cowley
Acting Regional Manager at Service NSW
Be present and review priorities
“Focus comes from constantly reviewing priorities and backlog. This way, quick actions are sorted and closed, while critical strategic or tactical matters don’t get lost, overlooked or delayed.
“Being present in what is being discussed is key to ensure you remain focused, while also able to work through the crazy. Being not dismayed by ambiguities and able to make and remake decisions ensures that you are positive and progressive.”
Nathan Moyes
General Manager at Virtual Business Partners
Give your mind a break
”I’m lucky. In my industry, problems don’t typically have a life or death component to them, so I remind myself whenever I get frustrated that no one dies from investment management problems.
“I also make a lot of cups of tea – it gives the mind a break, the hands something to do, and for a few minutes while the water boils and tea brews you can disconnect from the problem. By the time the tea is ready, problems rarely seem as stressful as they did before.”
Alicia Aitken
Head of Investment Management and Delivery at ANZ Banking Corporation
Practice gratitude
“Like many in the startup industry, I love my work and I’ve got some workaholic tendencies. Often when I’m getting overwhelmed or I’m not focused, taking a break and stepping away from screens helps to refresh my mindset.”
“During lockdown in Melbourne, I’ve had productivity guilt where I wished I had achieved more or was further along. So to help my mindset, I’ve been more dedicated to practicing gratitude daily and I’ve looked back on my career and work so far to appreciate what I have achieved. It’s easy to forget all that’s happened when you’re looking forward to doing even more!”
Lana Weal, Marketing Consultant at Market Mindfully
Quick wins, exercise and self-talk
”I have a few tools in my kit that I draw on but they take practice. I am deadline driven, so if the workload is particularly heavy, I try to sprinkle quick wins amongst the larger tasks to feel that continuous momentum. If I start feeling overwhelmed, I know I need to change the scenery and get my body moving – leave my desk, walk outside, call my mum, come back fresh.
“I’ve also learnt to notice the self-talk and if it starts diving to the negative space, I will pause and reflect on why I feel that way and consider some ways to shift it. The more I practice this, the faster I can do it in the moment.”
Tiffany Slater, Leadership Coach
Organise effectively and learn to say “no”
“Make sure you organise your workday effectively (this includes time to look after yourself) so you can be at your most effective when you are working.”
“My top tip. Learn to say no! No to anything that isn’t truly important, no to other people’s urgent requests and no to low priority tasks. Prioritise your time so you can prioritise your life.”
Danny Levy
Managing Director, APAC of Worldwide Business Research Insights
