How to be a mindset Miyagi

In today’s modern workplace with devices that make you available at all hours and with working from home increasing on the list of job benefits, the boundaries between work and home life have well and truly started to blur.

As Dr Adam Fraser explains in his theory of The Third Space, we can’t work any harder, we can’t fit any more in and with our lives being spent rapidly transitioning from one role and environment to another, the ability to transition rapidly and with resilience, is how we can learn to be mindset Miyagis.

Dr Fraser gives the analogy of an elite athlete who is able to Miyagi their mind to put the last bad shot to one side and to reflect, rest and reset all in a matter of seconds before lining up to take the next shot. Because if they’re thinking of the crappy shot as they take the next one, the outcome is not going to be favourable.

So how do you become a mindset Miyagi?

• Stop the focus on trying to work harder. Maybe you prefer to have short sprints rather than a marathon session. Break up your task list accordingly.
• Enough with the audacious goals and never-ending to-do list. Be realistic about what you can achieve each day. A couple of things completed, is still a win!
• Designate a play time. Your mind and body need to switch off or at least power down so you can recharge and be ready to go again.
• Just start. Don’t put things off because they feel too much or overwhelming. Often putting pen to paper (or hands to keyboard) to get a few ideas down can then start the ball rolling for another team member to pick up and carry on with.
• And the best truth bomb I’ve heard? Everything doesn’t have to be perfect, every time.

BRB. Off to watch ‘The Karate Kid’ for a bit of reflect, rest and reset time.

-Sarah-