Fri 01 / 05 / 20
From battleground to playground – a simple shift to help us face complex times
By Helen Zeida of
There has been an overload of information for businesses on surviving the pandemic. The danger is that the more we do, the busier we become, not necessarily better at dealing with it.
There are, however, things we can do to become more effective and efficient at dealing not just with these challenges of COVID-time but with life in general. As we enter the uncharted territory of post-lockdown life, we will need 3 skills: clarity, curiosity and courage - not always easy when we’re inundated with war-time language such as ‘battle on’, ‘fight it out’, ‘front line’, ‘keeping heads above water’. At the moment, the world can feel like a battleground.
I believe in a shift that saves time, money and effort and even builds resilience, especially in business. It’s a simple strategy that can bring overwhelmingly positive and sustainable results.
And it is to move from a ‘Battleground’ to a ‘Playground’.
This may sound superficial, so let me explain in more depth.
The 'battleground' language above gives clues to our interpretation of life. We can’t do anything about the current reality. But we can control our viewpoint. Why is this important? When feeling threatened, we brace ourselves and live in what I call ‘survival emotions’. These show up as scarcity (no one is buying), symptoms of ‘compare-itus’ (everyone’s doing better than me) and tunnel vision (there’s no options); all causing ‘lock-down’ of the mind.
Like an umbrella salesperson ‘pivoting’ to sell parasols in the summer, we need to lighten up to open up the horizon of our abundant and positive imagination. Far from being frivolous, it’s the most practical and logical thing that we can do.
The soundest business advice I have heard over the past 6 weeks is:
There is no decision you can make from a place of fear and lack that will give you the results you want.
The quality of our actions is determined by the quality of the thinking we do beforehand. Calm brains make this easier. Headless chickens don’t do well in this department! When facing challenges, the first ‘pivot’ needs to take place in the mind.
Introducing the 'playground'. Here there is positive and sustainable energy and creativity; smiling and laughter reduce stress, improve the immune system, relationships AND emotional health; all of which are crucial right now.
How do we move from battleground to playground?
1. Lighten up and feel good FIRST: This works without fail and has a huge R.O.I. as it unlocks our skills, stamina and expansive ideas. Noticing when we are ‘battling’ is a sign for us to shift our state. The easiest route to uplift is a laugh, a stretch, music or movement. Fun returns us to flow and brings clarity.
Think back to all the duff business decisions you have ever made. Mine have all occurred whenever I’ve felt under pressure, distracted or defeated. Who has had their best ideas when out running, relaxing or raving? I rest my case.
2. Ask ourselves quality questions: Our brain is a human google that helpfully spews out 1,000,000 responses to any search we enter, including ‘why is everyone else doing better than me?’. Reframe for a more quality response:
(A clever question to ask comes from the workshop: ‘Overcoming Irrational Fear in Climbing’ and is designed to inspire clear thinking when dangling upside down above a sheer drop! Get curious and ask 'What can I do here?' This presupposes we can do something and frees the ‘locked-down’ mind to find solutions).
3. Be the best example of you: Whatever personal skills you require now, you have already used in your past (yes, even if they are being elusive). There are many methods I use to explore and activate this. EG: In 5 minutes, it is possible to find and use a specific memory to bring you 100% conviction in the courage and confidence you need. Finding a prop or prompt to remind you of this skill is a powerful addition to your toolkit of life. Works every time.
Playground behaviour: lightening up, getting curious and being the true you. Bringing a different energy to play makes it easier to take positive action.
What can you do to move from a battleground to a playground today?
Helen is a Coach, Trainer and Extreme Empowerment Facilitator. She set up the Boost Project to spread more positive vibes in the world and share practical approaches to resilience and energy, especially where they matter most.
If you would like to find out more about Uplifting, Energising or Equipping yourself or your team, please contact Helen on helen@theboostproject.co.uk
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If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk