Computers and AI have revolutionised how we work and play.
What’s not to love about a machine? Plug it in, give it instructions and if your instructions are clear, all is good!
All you need to do is keep it powered up; don’t spill coffee on it or drop it; it will do exactly as you do. It doesn’t take offence to how you ask; it doesn’t have a meltdown as it has no insecurities and doesn’t underperform because it’s worried about its family of microchips! Wonderful!!
People are a tad more complex; yep, we need powering up. No, we don’t like coffee poured over us and hate being dropped physically or metaphorically.
People can and do take offence and are full of self-doubt and insecurities and do worry about their friends’ parents’ relations and kids’ or microchips!
We have many bugs in our systems that can only be sorted by loading virus software.
So we have an interesting situation of having an emotionless tool like a computer that gets on with stuff but that’s programmed and managed by a biological machine full of software glitches!!
Our emotions make us human; they empower us to feel, dreams create, vent, and problem-solve – or at least they do if none hijack our system by getting too big and imprinting on everything we think and do, contaminating our output.
We are not our emotions; they are part of us, not who we are; most of the time, they are all in balance and don’t really interfere with our day or thinking, but if something is worrying us emotionally, that all changes that emotion starts controlling our thoughts and actions to its own bias.
Anxiety is a classic example. When we are anxious, we go into fight or flight mode. We want to run or fight. We can’t think calmly and rationally. All our decisions and interactions are overrun and coloured by the instinct to run or fight. If we are anxious because we are under physical attack, this instinct is awesome and welcome. Once we have moved away from the perceived physical attack, we calm down, and systems return to normal operating levels.
The problem is this: the automatic defence system can’t differentiate between physical attack and emotional attack. It can’t run or fight an emotion, so we don’t get to stand our defence down; we stay anxious, alert, sensitive, on guard. Our bodies were not designed for this continuous state of alertness, so the chemicals released in us make us superhuman. to fight or run, can’t leave our system.
What happens then :
- you are exhausted, overly alert and on guard
- you can’t think or reason
- you can’t sleep
- you may begin to get poorly as your immune system weakens
- you develop aches and pains as your muscles are on high alert and cant relax
- and a myriad of other physical issues
Sound familiar?
How many of your staff are off sick with emotional anxiety?
My training plans help you to recognise this in yourself and your team and, more importantly, how to prevent it and, if required, stop it.