When you are on your back foot your usual efficient ways go out of the window, you dont give the engine (your body) what it really needs and your body goes into alert mode.
Your strength weakens and your body goes into survival mode.
So imagine the senario…
You have been on holiday, there is a new launch in the business, you have had business travel, events taking you away from the doing and the task list isn’t getting any smaller. In fact it is looking like and or feels like that deadlines are going to start to be missed. The adrenaline is pumping, sleep is becoming a nice to have and the stuff you put in your body is making it worse.
Recognise this?
It seems everyday is like this (except the holiday bit or the business travel). It is a balancing act of demands that are given to us and what we put on ourselves. In fact being on our back foot is a feeling we create in ourselves. Those who have a tendency to have high expectations of themselves tend to battle with keeping away from ‘being on the back’ more than others.
Being on our back foot sends our body into survival mode.We know its about our own human mechanisms working to keep us safe. Yet we never learn from these situations as the priority for looking after ourselves takes second or third or fourth place.
So why does this threaten you?
The reality is that it’s at the micro level it threatens you. It’s the conversations you have which are shortened, the words you write are not explained, the team discussions you cut through and reduced communications you have with the very people that can help you. Your best work and best self is weakened.
So where does it threaten you?
Personal experience and listening to others I see it threatens you in three fundamental ways:
- Your identity and personal brand
2. Your health
3. Your life purpose / passion
What people say about you when you are not there. If you are regularly on your back foot you will be known for these stress response behaviours and actions. These behaviours will be your identity and your brand.
All quadrants of your health, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are affected. Short term illnesses are inevitable as the immune system weakens and the long term implications we think wont affect us.
What you really enjoy doing tends to get forgotten as things become chores as they have to be done quickly and corners get cut.
What does all this mean?
You are weaker in what you do as your inner strength is weakened. As a result decisions are harder, motivating your self to do the right thing is harder and your relationships are harder across all the communities you live and work in.
The reality is the tasks and numbers of them are not going away. This is everyones reality. It is possible to deal with this. It is all about the basics of human needs and remembering:
- Sleep is not a commodity to play with but a gift we must give ourselves everyday.
- Food and drink that is real and whole and comes from nature and eaten in its simplest form gives our body what it needs.
- Compassion to ourselves and others makes us human, connected and is rewarding
- Safety comes from sharing who we are as leaders and being consistent with what we do. Work with others that help to build your safety.
- Passion and purpose drive your enjoyment. Daily moments of these however big or small helps.
When you are on your back foot your usual efficient ways go out of the window, you dont give the engine (your body) what it really needs and your body goes into alert mode.
