Check in + Check out

What you can't measure, you can't manage. How would you apply this to yourself, and ensure that you are doing the right things at the right time? Here's a nifty trick.

It's Monday. You get up and there are a raft of things you can't wait to do - great ideas and exciting plans to execute - except your body is drained of strength, and the arduous trek to your toothbrush is enough to make you weep.

Scroll forward - it's Friday! You've been invited to dinner by a friend who wants to introduce you to an interesting and influential contact at the hottest new restaurant. You can't wait to head over, but also can't get your head around the work problems you've been wrestling with over the week.

Phy/psy-cal imbalance

Why why why is this happening? The simple answer is an imbalance in the levels of energy you feel outside (physically) and inside (psychologically). So how do you collect data on the energy levels and work out if there is an imbalance?

Easy, just ask.

Check in + check out

Every day (or as frequently as you like), ask yourself:

• How old do I feel like physically? - assess how well rested + energised you feel, and assign an age as O-{age}, where O stands for "outside".

• How old do I feel like psychologically? - assess how inspired + hopeful you feel, and assign an age as I-{age}, where I stands for "inside".

A wide age-differential suggests you might need to review what your plans for the day should be, and whether one part of you will be dragging the other around.

If your mind is going 100 miles but you feel low-energy, you might want to focus on emails or business planning.

Alternatively, if you are feeling energised but uninspired, fill your day with brainless or tedious tasks to expend that energy.

Here are 3 examples of how I tweaked my plans based on my check in + check out:

Salt + pepper shakers that I can doodle on with a marker. A mirror or notepad works just as well.

Of course there are those who will prefer to muscle through, or have an inflexible diary. This exercise is still useful, as it makes you more prepared for the kinds of challenges ahead and you aren't caught off-guard.

For the data-hungry, over time, you will have amassed a wealth of data that you can even plot against the weather, news, astrology - whatever strokes your fancy.

Now for the science

Research on self-awareness goes back decades, and focusses only on the psychological. The advantages include:

• Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness is a core factor in the development of emotional intelligence. Other factors include self-regulation, social skills, empathy + motivation.

• Boost performance: through initiative, positive self-development, better communication + confidence

• Better management: in addition to the above, self-awareness also enhances self-control + creativity + productivity + decision making + the ability to see things from / accept others' perspectives.

Let's get phy/psy-cal

At COLAB+, we take a holistic approach when assessing overall well-being, and believe that the psychological needs to be balanced against the physical as well.

The practice of regular check-in + check out sharpens your awareness of how you are doing, and puts you back into the equation of everything you are seeking to achieve.

Give it a go, and let us know what you think.

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References:

Goleman, D. (2001). Emotional intelligence: issues in paradigm building. The emotionally intelligent workplace.

Ridley, D. S., Schutz, P. A., Glanz, R. S., & Weinstein, C. E. (1992). Self-regulated learning: The interactive influence of metacognitive awareness and goal-setting. The Journal of Experimental Education, issue 60, 293–306.

Silvia, P. J., & O’Brien, M. E. (2004). Self-awareness and constructive functioning: Revisiting “the Human Dilemma.” Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, issue 23, 475–489.

Sutton, A., Williams, H. M., & Allinson, C. W. (2015). A longitudinal, mixed-method evaluation of self-awareness training in the workplace. European Journal of Training and Development issue 39, 610–627.

Sutton, A. (2016). Measuring the effects of self-awareness: Construction of the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, issue12, 645–658.