The first thing that they should appreciate is the fact that this can happen to anyone. It is pretty normal. Remember, you are not alone in this. Even a writer of Ernst Hemingway’s stature once quipped: “Sometimes I write better than I can.”
There are moments in our lives when we feel down and out. Some doubts start to creep in. In such situations, how does one ensure optimal experience? And, what about handling pressure under unfavourable conditions that are often hostile to talent?
A good piece of news is that it is not a matter of great concern. You have already identified the genesis of the problem. After the correct diagnosis, you are now looking for possible solutions. The main challenge is to ensure flow and reap the dividends of the magic of optimal experience.
To begin with, do not hesitate to share your problem with a friend, someone you completely trust. Good friends are the best medicines in the times you feel distracted or depressed. Sharing your concern with a trusted companion or a well-wisher will indeed be a cathartic experience. At the same time, developing a harmonious relationship with nature will be a recipe for healing.
Based on my 46-year-long experience as a social entrepreneur, here are the five ways that I believe will change the world for you and guarantee flow and optimal experience at the workplace:1. Focus: Never lose focus. Make efforts to find flow in everything you do. Enjoy being busy. Leading psychologist Mihali Csikszentmihalyi states, “When we flow, we are focussed on a concrete task without any distractions. Our mind is in order.” It is quite natural that the opposite will happen while we are distracted and when our mind is cluttered. Therefore, say NO to anger and YES to focus.2. Resilience: What exactly constitutes resilience? Of course, resilience is the buzzword in our entrepreneurial world these days. Not many, however, decode the word in a way it should be.
We all know how people lost their regular jobs or informal means of livelihood in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. People had similar experiences during the economic recession in 2007-08. I am sure that the situation would have been no different in many ways during the Great Depression (1929-30), post-World War-I. It is not easy for anyone to experience the pain of being laid off. Some employees struggle to regain their confidence after a layoff. They are shattered. They feel depressed and distracted.
How does resilience work in such an adverse situation? Some people give up and succumb to a pressure cooker situation, and also lose the confidence to stage a comeback. But there are others who bend temporarily and summon the courage to rise again. How do such people make a stunning comeback? Well, it is their resilience and the willpower to never abandon hope.
3. Optimism: The ups and downs are a part of life. You cannot have it easy all the time. There will be times when you will be challenged at multiple levels. You have to have faith in your skill and ability.
A word of caution, though: Being optimistic is fine as long as you do not end up distorting your sense of reality. Assessing the situation is paramount. Your situational awareness will help you in your analysis. In extremely challenging situations, rose-colored optimism, or caramelized narrative won’t be helpful. On the contrary, such an approach could be a recipe for disaster.
Optimism after a thorough understanding of a particular situation will set the ball rolling. Informed optimism will make flow a certainty.
4. Communication: It is the transfer of information, facts, ideas, beliefs, and opinions in a candid manner. I believe that communication is a two-way street. Unless you develop your capacity to listen carefully, becoming a good communicator as an entrepreneur or an employee will remain an unfulfilled dream.
I listen to my co-workers and artists. Their feedback helps me know them better and to know myself better. You have to work consistently to improve all forms of communication, including kinesics (body language). The efficacy in communication will ensure flow at the workplace. The element of feedback will also do wonders.
5. Self-Control: Never mistake self-control for over-confidence or arrogance. Like uncontrolled anger, ego is your biggest foe. Self-control is all about monitoring your behavior, understanding yourself better to taking ownership of the tasks ahead.
Self-control also means inculcating good habits that help you maintain good health and physique. Follow a routine. Treat yourself well. Eat healthy. Exercise. Meditate. It is a sort of self-evaluation, which is basically an honest analysis of your positives (strengths) and negatives (weaknesses).
Moreover, self-control encourages you to avoid toxicity and gain more knowledge to boost your self-esteem in a good way. Self-control will also help you do good deeds.
The real magic lies in remaining busy with work, enjoying being busy and your work to the hilt. That is the mantra of flow and optimal experience. This has worked for me. I’m sure it will work for you, too! Allow me to conclude my piece with a Chinese proverb: “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still.”
Nand Kishore Chaudhary is Social Entrepreneur, Chairman & Managing Director, Jaipur Rugs.
