Slowing It Down to Keep Yourself Resourceful

Listen to the full podcast episode to learn about the science-backed practice that has not only changed my life but also the lives of countless people over the last two decades. This is something you can’t ignore if you want to achieve that great goal you identified for this year and write your new future.

Do you find yourself compulsively moved to action even when you want to rest? You promise yourself you’ll slow down after you get just one more thing knocked out. But then something else needs to be accomplished or fixed – and well aren’t you the best person to do that? 

For many today, the way we are approaching our life and work is dysregulating our performance – and nervous system. What worked for so long is now wreaking havoc on our life and leadership and many don’t know how to pull out of it.

In this episode, I’m looking at the epidemic of hyper-functioning, especially among highly capable, high-achieving individuals. The ones who, when you look at their early training and programming, not surprisingly, were raised to save the day, caretake, and handle the perceived threat as quickly as possible. 

Today, I’m providing the tools to slow down and self-regulate those overstimulated nervous systems to ensure you are making your decisions consciously instead of compulsively. These are the same tools today’s greatest leaders are using to boost resourcefulness, avoid burnout, and enhance happiness and leadership.

Understanding our Nervous System

Our nervous system operates in two primary states: the sympathetic state (also known as the fight-or-flight state) and the parasympathetic state (also known as the rest-and-digest state). 

When we’re in our parasympathetic state (our peaceful, grounded “flow” state), we’re capable of deep focus, creativity, connection, and meaningful action. But when we’re in a sympathetic state (fight or flight), we become led by reactivity and compulsiveness.

The reality is that right now over 74% of people report experiencing some level of stress, which means most of us are navigating life from our fight-or-flight state. In turn, the nervous system becomes dysregulated. The worst part is most don’t know how to pull out of it.

Recognizing Dysregulation: The Story of Jack

Recognizing dysregulation is important because many of us are operating in a constant state of stress without even realizing it. Like, for example, Jack. He is a leader, a high performer, a go-getter, and a true GSDer (Get Sh*t Done kind of guy). For years, Jack operated from pure willpower, grit, and determination. If something was missing, upended, broken, or someone was hurting, he’d step in and fix it. As a result, he became very successful.

But recently, Jack found himself exhausted, irritable, and disconnected. He realized that what used to be his strength no longer works for him and is now the reason why he is unhappy and unsatisfied. He’s been given feedback that he was running over people at work. Impatient with those closest to him. He isn’t able to enjoy what he’s created or relax on vacation because he’s constantly thinking about work and how to forecast the next thing needed to be done. Jack described himself as restless, stuck and unable to break through it. Living and working this way for so long, his nervous system is overstimulated and dysregulated.

The Cost of Overstimulation

Leaders, like Jack in particular, pay a high personal cost for not mastering self-regulation, which can manifest in disempowered teams, missed opportunities, and overall life dissatisfaction. If this chronic stress unknowingly continues, it harms relationships, limits creativity, reduces overall effectiveness, and triggers health issues.

Strategies To Slow Down For More Conscious Rather Than Compulsive Living & Leading

If you feel trapped with things not changing even when you’re working harder, here are practical strategies to slow down and regain your control:

1. Pause: Instead of moving faster – slow down. You don’t have to solve that problem immediately.  Wait until you are calm and centered before responding.  
2. Do One Thing: Instead of doing many things – do one.  Complete each task fully before moving on. This focused approach not only reduces stress but also boosts your productivity as it decreases mistakes.   
3. Recognize Rest Is Productive: Create space in your day for rest. Contrary to ingrained beliefs, embracing rest enhances productivity and creativity.  
4. Get To the Root: When feeling compelled to continue moving and accomplishing, ask yourself, “what am I feeling that makes me keep doing this even when it doesn’t feel good?” Simply acknowledging the root of the feeling can be a game-changer.

Cultivating Self-Awareness and Reflection

One of the most in-demand skills right now among leaders is self-awareness and self-actualization. That’s because today’s top leaders know there is a different set of skills needed to succeed in today’s environment. Developing these skills ensure you become the leader, visionary and creative you are here to be.   

Embrace the Slower Pace

Your call to action this week is to slow down. The next time you feel stressed or overly reactive, take a breath and exhale deeply. Make the sound ahhhh as you do. The stressed sympathetic nervous system will shift. 

Remind yourself: It is productive to rest.

The more you use these inner game tools and sharpen your self-regulation, the better they become. This is how you empower yourself and others in the best possible way.

In this episode, I share:

• Why high-achieving men and women are suffering from dysregulation of the nervous system at significantly higher rates   
• A simple mantra when the stress is high and the pressure to perform at maximum capacity seems never-ending 
• A few simple tools that will boost your  resourcefulness, avoid burnout, and enhance your happiness and leadership

Resources and related episodes:

• Tune in to the previous episode, From Disappointment to Power: Mastering the Art of Bouncing Back
• Listen to Leading From a Heart at Peace
• If you’d like to be notified of when new podcast episodes are released, you can do so here: Playing Full Out
• Learn more about the Inside Out Method
• Connect with Rita on LinkedIn

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts for more tips, tools, and inspiration to lead the optimal vision of your life, love, and leadership. Remember, a half version of you is not enough. The world needs the fullest version of you at play.

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About Rita Hyland

With over 20 years of experience as an executive and leadership coach, Rita helps leaders — emerging and established — excel in corporate and entrepreneurial environments.

Rita believes if leaders were more clear about how transformation really works and more intentional about creating what they want, their impact, success, and influence in the world would be unstoppable.

Through her coaching programs, private coaching, and masterminds, Rita shows leaders how to win consistently and create the impact and legacy they desire.

Central to Rita’s work is the understanding that you will never outperform your current programming, no matter how strong your willpower.

When you learn to use Rita’s proprietary Inside Out Method, a technology that uses the best of neuroscience and transformational psychology to hit the brain’s buttons for change, YOU become both the solution and the strategy.

Her mission is to end talented, hard-working, and self-aware leaders spending another day stuck in self-doubt or confusion and not contributing their brilliant work and talent the world so desperately needs.