SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME WEARING YOU OUT? IT’S TIME TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS.
The first time I heard the term, shiny object syndrome, I was working for a large US based retailer who happened to have a pretty severe case of it. Similar to the corporate meetings which contained a lot of unnecessary glam and glitz – every new initiative was in the pursuit of the next sexiest thing. For those of us on special project teams, it meant we got to work on a lot of cool stuff. However, it also meant we repeatedly came up against some pretty big challenges. Because the company was always investing in the next best thing, they continually ignored the basics. Instead of shoring up their foundation and creating a solid base for everything else to run on, we would end up pasting the shiny object over the crumbling foundation, which only contributed to internal frustration and inefficiencies. The result? Those fun sexy projects weren’t as cool to work on and created a lot of unnecessary pain. That experience serves as a great reminder, not just in business but for your personal life too. When nothing is working. When you feel stuck. When things feel a lot harder than they should be.
It’s time to go back to the basics.
Because if your foundation is cracked, then everything else is probably crumbling too.
There quite simply isn’t a strategy, fad diet, or any amount of sheer will power that will shore up your foundation like committing to the basics will. Get these right, and you’ll be amazed at how different your results are.
Get 8 hours of sleep a night. Minimum. If you are getting less sleep than this, you might as well take a jack hammer to your foundation. Skeptical? Or think you just can’t possibly fit those 8 hours in?
I dare you to try it for one full week. Drink more water. Did you know being dehydrated can change your mood? Or that it increases your cravings for sweets? Or that it can cause unclear thinking? As far as I am concerned, water is a cure all for everything. EVERYTHING. Not sure if you are drinking enough? You probably aren’t. Start tracking your water intake by carrying a water bottle everywhere with you this week.
Go green. When life gets stressful do you reach for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s? When you want to get back to thriving, it’s time to recommit to nourishing your body. If you needed to choose just one change, I would vote for getting more greens in your diet. Can you go green at EVERY meal?
Touch and be touched. I once heard that as humans we require 10 points of physical contact a day to maintain mental health. When your foundation needs repair, there is nothing better than healing touch. Ask close friends or loved ones for hugs, hold someone hands or arm, have your hair brushed, use self-massage or go get a massage.
Having symptoms of burnout? Want to get things working again? Go back to the basics. Investing in the basics might not feel as sexy as going after the big shiny objects, but payback is essential to your well being.