Introverts often feel harried, trying to rush towards that time when they can kick back and relax, freed from all social \u2013 and other \u2013 obligations. This is especially true when the introvert works in a busy organization where much of what happens is not under the introvert\u2019s control (unlike a writer, who may have the luxury of walking through the park, breathing in the sights, sounds and yes smells of nature, while mentally designing the next chapter).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The same nervous system that makes us intuitive and sensitive,\nthat can caution us appropriately to collect enough information before making a\ncritical decision, that can motivate us to fill our mental storehouse with\ninformation that enriches our lives and our work, can also make us susceptible\nto feelings of extreme time pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do successful introverts handle the \u201cbrain buzz\u201d that results\nfrom feeling bombarded by too much stimulation all at once? Here are a few\nsecrets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take frequent, small calming<\/strong> breaks <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditative 5-minute breaks are particularly important when switching from one task to another, one topic to another. These breaks can consist of closing your eyes, breathing deeply, listening to a calming tone or voice or even taking a short walk, paying attention to everything you see along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This helps to take your focus off the many ideas and challenges\nswirling around you, and ground you in present time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t make up alarming stories about the future <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The ability to pause and consider many options before taking action can be an introvert strength, but a full 90% of stress is not about what\u2019s happening now; it\u2019s about what we imagine might<\/em> happen. That future stress is extremely energy-draining and can make you feel overwhelmed with problems, when in fact you are simply overwhelmed by your own imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the meantime, your body braces for the coming \u201cbattle\u201d that you\nare imagining as your mind swirls around searching for ways to cope with the\nfuture \u201cdisaster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The future is up for grabs; anything you can imagine in detail\nright now about the future is probably wrong in at least some details. The\nconsequences of today\u2019s activities could have many outcomes. There\u2019s a\ndifference between being prepared and being overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How often has your life worked out exactly as you imagined it\nwould? Exactly. It hasn\u2019t. We are constantly surprised as life unfolds, so what\nwe need to cultivate is the resilience to meet life\u2019s changes, while enjoying\ntoday\u2019s abundance. Focus mentally on the treasures you have in your life,\nincluding health, relationships, meaningful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some tips to maximize that resilience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stop wallowing in the past<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once again, the introvert nervous system helps us store information readily that might be useful in avoiding future mistakes but we tend to overdo it when we engage in what is called \u201crumination\u201d: the act of pondering the same issue over and over again, a little like chewing a cud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t obsess about the past, especially those times when you think\nyou fell short of some standard. This can be a big energy drain, and keep you\nfrom finding the energy you need to move forward, or to take a risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mine your past for supportive memories<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Deliberately recover memories of past successes, warm support you have gotten from others, times you were in the \u201csweet spot\u201d of performance, when everything worked easily. Deliberately cultivate these memories, and add to that positive memory bank to draw on it when times get tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn to stay in present time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Focus on what is here and now; go to the past consciously to retrieve important information or supportive memories, not reminders of past failures, and go to the future consciously to construct creative outcomes and exciting visions that motivate you, not disaster scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to do so is like putting a giant vacuum cleaner to your brain and sucking out loads of energy. Balancing the time you spend mentally in the past, present, and future is said, by Zimbardo and Boyd, researchers and authors of The Time Paradox<\/em>, to be like being on a permanent vacation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lynette Crane is a Minneapolis-based speaker, writer, and coach focusing on Quiet Brilliance, aka introversion. She has more than 30 years\u2019 experience in the field of stress and time management and personal growth. She divides her time between helping introverts cope successfully in an extrovert-oriented culture and in helping organizations mine the rich talent they have in their ranks. Her upcoming book, \u201cQuiet Brilliance: Solving Corporate America\u2019s Leadership Crisis with \u2018Hiding in Plain Sight\u2019 Talent\u201d is a how-to book for corporations to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introverts often feel harried, trying to rush towards that time when they can kick back and relax, freed from all social \u2013 and other \u2013 obligations. This is especially true when the introvert works in a busy organization where much of what happens is not under the introvert\u2019s control (unlike a writer, who may have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[722],"tags":[769],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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