Last Wednesday, I was given the unexpected opportunity to speak to the monthly Regional Women’s Network CQ coffee catch-up attendees.
With a slight hiccup in the arrival of the original speaker, I was ‘voluntold’ to take the stage, as I’d done many times before for this group and others.
Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public, and it is a prevalent phobia that is believed to affect up to 76 per cent of the human population.
With extensive training and practice in public speaking over many years, what would cause many to crumble is an activity that brings me immense joy and privilege.
Having spent the first half of the morning discussing with my table two recent and well-received columns, AI and Intentional Imbalance, I asked ChatGPT (AI) to craft a 5-minute speech using my tone, language and style, referencing my website again and covering the topics of AI and Intentional Imbalance in more detail than what had been discussed.
I aimed to explain both without reading the columns word for word.
Not only have I received terrific feedback about ‘real-worlding’ AI with the column I wrote (or instead instructed to be written), but a new audience could hear me speak to it while tackling the important topic of Intentional Imbalance.
If you’ve read the other columns, you’ll know that I call bulldust on balance and instead practice an Intentional Imbalance.
This concept I was exposed to many years ago resonated as I tried to figure out how and why I operate the way I do – naturally or through deliberate practice.
Speaking on the topic and expanding on the great speech AI had written me in seconds, I incorporated an entire segment dedicated to rest to paint the bigger picture of Intentional Imbalance and how rest is critical to the practice.
In a world of busyness, overstimulation, and mounting responsibilities, it is very easy to become overwhelmed and lack rest or downtime.
This is a serious health issue, which is why promoting rest, particularly sleep, is so important.
I read recently that the body needs 5×90-minute sleep cycles per night and that less or excessively more is detrimental to our lifespan and general health (The 5am Club by Robin Sharma). As I’m not a doctor and don’t work in medicine or health, I have no authority on the topic, but I urge you to seek help if you’re worried about your sleep health.
I’ve known for a long time that rest is essential for peak performance.
If we study elite athletes, we can start to see the ratio of rest, preparation, fuel and performance.
While I am not a peak-performing elite athlete, I do put my mind to the test, and because of this, rest is not only essential, but it is necessary to operate consistently on the frequency with which I like to work, live and play.
At the event I unexpectedly spoke at, I unpacked a rest formula, plus invited thought into the perspective of what people see as rest compared to what it can be.
I also reminded the attendees that what we see of another person’s life on social media, in particular, is only one small window into their day and the other 23 hours and 50 minutes isn’t showcased.
In another book I read recently, The Third Space by Dr. Adam Fraser, an entire chapter is dedicated to rest – Chapter eight if you’re interested.
I followed his formula for rest and did it long before reading it in his book, but I love that I now have a credible example to share with others.
– 10 minutes per day
– One hour per week
– One day per month
– One long weekend per quarter
– One holiday per year
Work hard, play hard, rest hard.
Knowing when you float between different energies will also help boost your performance and maximise your rest time.
We naturally transition through tiger, swan, and sloth energy throughout the day.
When we know ourselves and what we must achieve, we can plan accordingly, maximising our tiger energy.
For example, my tiger energy is present in the morning until lunchtime and reappears very late at night.
That is when I can be the most productive and achieve a week of tasks in hours.
I can focus on the job, and the outcome is delivered.
I can think deeply and solve problems quickly.
I also use my tiger energy to write my columns, a task generally completed late Thursday evening for the Wednesday ahead.
My swan energy arrives after lunch and into the evening.
I can still be productive here but at a different pace.
Swan energy is also a tremendous socialising energy for me, and it’s perfect timing for Scouting evenings, attending events and contributing to community and volunteer meetings.
My sloth energy is applied in that rest formula when required.
I’m guessing sloth energy is reasonably self-explanatory.
During the unexpected speaking opportunity, I embarrassingly shared how I’ve normalised the rest of a parent for my children.
Naps, sleep-ins, and energy transition maximisation are so ordinary that my children thought nothing of it a few Sundays ago when I spent the day in bed until 2pm.
Admittedly, this was self-inflicted recovery time after an unplanned and unexpected get-together with friends at the last minute, which is why it was awkward but funny to share.
Resting well means practising an Intentional Imbalance is done with ease.
I never rattle off the list of things I’m involved in because it overwhelms people and causes their brains to switch off unconsciously.
But, I did rattle the list on this bright and sunny morning by the river to the group who’d given me their time, expecting someone else, for a practical example only.
A long list of responsibilities is not anything I haven’t seen other community and business leaders contend with, but I do appreciate it can appear as a lot.
I shared with the group for emphasis though that I don’t involve myself in things I’m not aligned with, and I get plenty of rest.
I also don’t multitask because that would do a disservice to the task.
I am conscious of what I commit my time to outside of my family, and I am intentional with that time.
I know myself well and have learned how to leverage my strengths.
As Barrack Obama says, “Just learn how to get stuff done”.
And when everything is too much, learn to rest, not quit.