7 Ways To Practice Resilience
Our partner ANZ delivered a Change and Resilience bootcamp that is usually part of their Future Leaders programme. Nicky Benson, the presenter, has worked alongside ANZ for almost two decades helping leaders, teams and the whole organisation develop courage to lead sustainable change.
This bootcamp offered students an understanding of what resilience means. We explore ways to understand the behaviours and actions we need to focus on to build stability, flexibility and connection to navigate change. Nicky helped us raise awareness of what drives optimum energy and performance. We tried to understand the social brain and our trigger techniques to press pause and choose our response. Eventually, we wanted to be able to identify your rituals for resilience.
What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to thrive amidst ongoing change, disruption, and adversity without exhibiting dysfunctional behaviour or burning out. Resilience is a systemic (not solely individual ) response to adversity impacted equally by social, cultural and environment support factors.
How can we harness stress?
Be aware of your triggers, identify the things that causes stress for you
Develop healthy habits to maintain energy and wellness
Focus on long slow breaths - to activate the parasympathetic nervous system
Name it to tame it – name the emotion if triggered to engage your rational brain
Write it down , more able to see objectively and find a way forward
Nicky also shared the Healthy Mind Platter created by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel, Clinical Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine in collaboration with Dr. David Rock, Executive Director of the NeuroLeadership Institute. This is widely used by organisations as guidelines to achieve a healthy mind. Healthy minds are more resilient and more adaptable to changes.
Seven daily essential mental activities to optimise brain matter and create well-being.
Focus Time When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, we take on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.
Play Time When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, we help make new connections in the brain.
Connecting Time When we connect with other people, ideally in person, and when we take time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us, we activate and reinforce the brain's relational circuitry.
Physical Time When we move our bodies, aerobically if medically possible, we strengthen the brain in many ways.
Time In When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, we help to better integrate the brain.
Down Time When we are non-focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, we help the brain recharge.
Sleep Time When we give the brain the rest it needs. Sleep is an essential function1 that allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up. Healthy sleep also helps the body remain healthy and stave off diseases. Without enough sleep, the brain cannot function properly