WEBVTT
00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.640
Hello, friends, and a very warm welcome to France Alpha with Dr.
00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:09.119
Ash.
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:12.160
Are you ready to transfer into your conflict?
00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:14.080
First is now Dr.
00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.839
Ash has worked in education across three continents.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:20.800
India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:34.799
To help you transform your stress into a powerful tool for growth and resilience.
00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:45.840
Each week, it would be a practical tool and life-changing insights from people, including the boiling frog, to help you manage your stress, find balance, and live a life of purpose.
00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.560
Please join us every Friday at 5 p.m.
00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.679
and let's start turning stress into strength together.
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.320
Now let's dive into today's episode.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.679
Welcome to the Transforming Stress with Dr.
00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:59.200
Ash podcast Funella.
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:00.479
Good to be here, Ash.
00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:04.400
Lovely to have you in the beautiful Scotland, Glasgow.
00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:13.120
And today we are going to discuss the environmental management aspect of the boiling frog.
00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:14.640
Yeah, which is crucial.
00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:19.519
And of course, we're building on resilience and self-management, which we've already discussed.
00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:20.159
Yes.
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:27.359
As you know that environmental management can be a really make or break.
00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.519
And we know that things change.
00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:34.480
And you and me know it very well.
00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:38.560
Living with the Irish weather and the Scottish weather.
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:38.959
Yep.
00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.680
Really most beautiful countries of the world.
00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:42.159
Yeah.
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.400
But the weather changes.
00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:44.799
Yes.
00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.760
And we are we we basically change according to the weather.
00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:50.400
Yeah, yeah.
00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:51.519
We're constantly adapting.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.439
Con constantly adapting.
00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.280
And you mentioned the word adapting, adapting.
00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:57.840
Yeah.
00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:10.960
If I were to summarize this entire environmental management in word one word, a single word will be adapting.
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:11.919
Absolutely.
00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.759
And I see the quote here that we have from Darwin Ash.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:21.280
And this is one that people sometimes get wrong because they talk about survival of the strongest or the smartest.
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.080
Or the fittest.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:29.120
But in fact, it's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:32.240
It is the one that is most adaptable to change.
00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:42.240
So in this particular section, what I'm teaching, what I'm sharing with the listeners and the readers is adaptive leadership.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:46.960
Now there are five pillars to adaptive leadership.
00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:48.879
And I know I've got you've got the book in front.
00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:50.000
I have the book right now.
00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.560
You start with how do you manage time?
00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:55.759
How do you manage conflict in the environment?
00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.360
How do you manage micro stresses?
00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:09.039
And many times we are in the situations that uh the systems are really old, and we are doing the same thing again and again.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.000
So creative innovation.
00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.560
Yeah, the diversity, that diverse element.
00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:14.960
Yes.
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:19.919
And last but not the least, are we going to cognitive overload?
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:32.000
And the cognitive overload is uh equally crucial because I will uh I will tell you more about it, that how it is so important to be aware of the different kinds of cognitive overload.
00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:33.680
But why don't we start one by one?
00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:34.080
Yes.
00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.520
What what is your favorite?
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:45.520
What what what what is your most uh something which you think suddenly can increase the temperature of the surrounding environment?
00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.879
So, what would be the worst stressor that I could think of?
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.039
Honestly, I do think that conflict with other people that can be hard.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:04:04.879
And that sometimes you might have a sense, not not that somebody's shouting at you, but maybe there's passive aggression, maybe somebody just isn't speaking very much, and normally they're quite communicative.
00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:08.000
Those sorts of things can really get to you, I think.
00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:08.400
Right.
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:08.800
Yeah.
00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:15.520
So let's have a let's touch on all these five pillars, yeah, and then one by one we'll take a deeper dive.
00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:16.000
Yeah.
00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:23.600
So I fully agree with you that conflict is something which can increase the temperature all of a sudden.
00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:23.920
Yeah.
00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:30.000
If somebody comes in enters a room, yeah, you don't get along, yeah, you can feel the heat.
00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.360
You can feel the heat increasing in the environment.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.319
Yeah, suddenly the emotional temperature just changes.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:36.879
Yes, yeah.
00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:37.199
Yeah.
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:49.279
And equally if there is low level dysfunctions in a team, that slowly increases the temperature and creates a boiling frog environment.
00:04:50.000 --> 00:05:08.720
We've been in several uh situations where uh whether it is in uh hospitals or whether it is in primary care or any different kind of working environments, when the team dynamics are not good, it increases temperature in the environment.
00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.319
Let's talk about cognitive overload.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.639
When I say cognitive overload, what are the things which come in your mind?
00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:33.680
I think about overwhelm, about the just so many demands, so many um psychological demands really, managing relationships with people day to day, the just the constant um overstimulation from media, social media.
00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:42.480
You know, we're looking at our phones for so many legitimate reasons, but also I think it it can end up just being something we do habitually, but we're just stuck to our phone.
00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:44.800
Yeah, I think that's a huge stressor.
00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:50.800
And cognitive overload, I mean just dealing with our normal jobs, but dealing with all of these other inputs as well.
00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.079
And I think distractions are the sorts of distractions too.
00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:54.800
Yeah.
00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:55.519
All of that.
00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:05.839
Distractions are big and uh takes us back to what we discussed in the first section uh in the self-discipline versus distractability.
00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:06.319
Yeah.
00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.480
Then you mentioned about uh the smartphones, yeah.
00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:12.959
That the smartphones are making us dumb.
00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:21.519
Literally, somebody was recently telling me that people some people are spending more time on the screen more than the sleep.
00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:22.079
Oh, cool.
00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:27.199
So they might spend eight, nine hours on their phone, and these are very busy people.
00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:27.519
Yeah, yeah.
00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.879
These are very successful people.
00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:29.040
Yeah.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.000
And they might be getting five hours of sleep or six hours of sleep.
00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:34.160
That's a huge investment of time, isn't it?
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.519
It's a huge investment of time.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:35.920
Yeah.
00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.560
So this smartphone is a remarkable tool, yeah.
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:54.959
But if the the distraction it has increased, and the scattered attention and scattered focus, it results in issues with time management.
00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:55.439
Yeah.
00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.720
And that brings us to another skill, how do you manage your time?
00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:04.800
Yeah, yeah, and all tied up with that is energy as well, isn't it, Ash?
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:05.759
Here and there.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:06.160
Yeah.
00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:06.720
Yeah.
00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:16.000
When you say time management, I used to feel that there's so much of work, so much of work, and uh in the hospitals things are getting busy.
00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:24.000
There are patients to see in different departments, managing the teams, administrative work, educational work.
00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:34.240
But uh ultimately I realized that the key is how you manage your energy, how you manage your strengths, how you manage your values.
00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:41.759
And we will go into the details of that, into the when we discuss, uh, when we take a deeper dive into the time management.
00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:43.920
You might be having a full day.
00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:52.560
Yeah, but let's say if your physical batteries are low or mental or emotional, how productive are you going to be during that day?
00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:53.360
Absolutely.
00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:58.959
And when you say strengths and values, it almost it also makes me think about self-awareness and self-reflection.
00:07:59.040 --> 00:07:59.199
Yes.
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:06.160
Because those really need to be present for us to know what our values are and what strengths we're trying to leverage in those situations.
00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:06.560
Yeah.
00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:14.959
Einstein used to say one thing that you cannot judge a fish's ability to climb a tree.
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.399
It's it's not the strength.
00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:17.680
It's not the strength.
00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:18.000
Yeah.
00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:33.200
So if you if if anyone is in a position or in an environment where they are not matched with their strengths, they are forever leaning against the wrong wall.
00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:33.600
Yeah.
00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.159
Yeah.
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:37.840
That's another key insight to understand.
00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:38.240
Yeah.
00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:42.559
Any other thing which comes to you when I say time management, right?
00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.639
Because I know you mentioned that people are getting busier and busier, yeah.
00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:50.720
Yet the productivity is going down.
00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:51.759
Yeah.
00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:52.320
Yeah.
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:54.240
Because sometimes there are knock-on effects.
00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:58.320
People are stressed, they're distressed, they're not happy.
00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:11.840
And I think in those circumstances, our ability to be creative, to engage with things in a creative way, and to find the kind of innovation that we're going to talk about, that shuts down because it's just about survival.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.960
It's not about something finding something new.
00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:25.759
And we need to be able to open that up for ourselves a bit and um not not have our poor brains sort of crouching in on themselves in terror from all this input.
00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:28.399
We need to find ways to just loosen that up.
00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:40.399
And I think also the fact that with your book you're working with this theory around right brain, left brain, and how these connect with the what what we sometimes call the primitive brain.
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:40.799
Yes.
00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:48.960
And that the you know, the logical brain, the the left brain tends to just shut down when we've got all these signals coming through.
00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:53.279
But the right brain, the creative side, that can still communicate.
00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.440
So so we're really thinking about that.
00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:03.360
And obviously, part of the way you've done this in the book is to use these great visuals, yeah, which we've been discussing with each section.
00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:08.960
Um, but we're we're gonna look a little more at how we can use creativity and tap into our creative energy.
00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:14.799
But to do that, we need to be managing our time, which will help us to have some energy available to be creative.
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.320
So, Funella, uh, one thing you mentioned about the chronic stress.
00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:18.639
Yeah.
00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:24.559
And the chronic stress can lead the person to be more at the level of the limbic system.
00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.080
You might have heard about limbic hijack or amygdala hijack.
00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:28.320
Yeah.
00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:37.200
People who are chronically stressed, they find it more difficult to work from their prefrontal cortex, which is also the CEO of the brain.
00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:37.440
Yeah.
00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.320
And that's why the decisions might not be rational.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:55.600
The right brain, which is more intuitive, self-awareness and imagery is easier to provided you're connected, provided you are having some kind of mindfulness practices.
00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:56.159
Absolutely.
00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:07.360
And you're slowing down, but it's if you are able to inculcate some kind of practices, then it can change the game.
00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.600
Well, these are resources, aren't they?
00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:10.159
Yes.
00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:15.440
And other thing is about when you mention about the right brain, what strikes me is creativity.
00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:15.759
Yeah.
00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:25.200
And I talk about creative innovation as one of the chapters that if we are stuck doing the same things again and again, can we really think out of the box?
00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.440
Yeah, we we can't see new possibilities.
00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.279
We're just in the same groove all the time.
00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.000
Yeah.
00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:30.960
Yeah.
00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:38.559
If we get think from the right side, we'll try to see, you know, how how we can break that pattern.
00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.120
Yeah.
00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:40.720
Yeah, that's so important.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:51.679
Finally, I would like to add one more thing which is really important to the context of managing the environment, is management of micro stresses.
00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.080
You mentioned about conflict.
00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:59.519
Sometimes conflict can be on your face and you recognize it.
00:11:59.600 --> 00:11:59.679
Yeah.
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:00.960
So and so has come to the point.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.360
And I can see it's on your face.
00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:03.759
Yeah.
00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:08.799
But micro stress is more, as you can see, it's under the table.
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.120
Yeah.
00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:10.159
It's sneaky.
00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.240
It's a constant niggling little thing.
00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:20.080
It's a niggling little thing, but more than that, it can be outside our realm of awareness.
00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:20.559
Yeah.
00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:21.039
Yeah.
00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:38.480
And it's important to understand and pinpoint first of all, what are the signs of chronic stress, chronic micro stress, identify the micro stress, and we'll discuss more in our deeper dive.
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.679
And then what are the antidotes?
00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:46.720
How do you manage the micro stresses?
00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:57.840
And that is actually the strategy and the solution and the strategy to manage the boiling frog environment.
00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:15.759
And that's why if you see the cover, the cover of the book, the cover of the book shows a jacuzzi, and the frogs, instead of boiling to death, I've brought this philosophy of the jacuzzi effect.
00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:26.240
Now they have been able to understand the stresses in the environment, the micro stresses in the environment, they have been able to temper down the temperature.
00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.159
Now they are relaxed.
00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:29.759
They're absolutely enjoying themselves.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.159
Enjoying the jacuzzi environment.
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:40.240
And I felt that when I used to see a lot of colleagues, professionals around me burnt out.
00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:59.440
And equally when I used to see patients over the last three decades from different industries, backgrounds coming with stress, high levels of stress, I used to wonder people work so hard in their lives and towards what endpoint?
00:13:59.600 --> 00:13:59.840
Yeah.
00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:00.879
Yeah, what's it for?
00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:01.679
What's it for?
00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.799
What is the end emotions?
00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:08.159
What are the end, what is the journey bringing them to?
00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:20.000
And it's not just the living in 24-7 stress, but also the manifestations of stress, how it affects your physical health, how it affects your mental health.
00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:20.799
Of course.
00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:21.440
Yeah.
00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:32.000
And can we find better ways to temper down the temperature and make it a nice and a comfortable jacuzzi?
00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:33.840
Because we're not saying there shouldn't be heat.
00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:34.639
We need challenge.
00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.480
Heat is there, it's a part of the life.
00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:36.639
Yeah.
00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:37.679
Welcome to life.
00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:38.000
Yeah.
00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:39.120
There's going to be stress.
00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:39.360
Yeah.
00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:40.000
But high stress.
00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:41.519
There's going to be high levels of stress.
00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:41.919
Yeah.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:54.159
What we want to say is that the stress should not be 24-7 all around the year, which is unregulated, unmanaged, and also toxic levels of stress.
00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.039
Well, absolutely.
00:14:55.120 --> 00:15:03.679
I have clients who come to me and they might say, There has been no single big event in my life, but I feel completely stressed out.
00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:05.200
I feel tired.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.080
I just can't seem to think clearly.
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:11.519
And I think that's the micro-stress that you're talking about.
00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:21.600
Because what when we channel into what's going on in their lives, sometimes there's an absence of supportive practices of these kinds of strategies that you're talking about.
00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.200
And definitely a presence of those micro-stresses.
00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.600
And they wear and wear away at people.
00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:33.440
So I think this is a really good approach to highlight that and to just look at what are the strategies.
00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:47.919
And I think the reflective awareness sections we've got in each chapter, and also the leaps to action part, which is helping people to move into I suppose if the first part's a diagnosis, it's kind of moving into the cure.
00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:54.320
And so there's there's plenty in the book that's going to help you take immediate action to start to feel a little bit better.
00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:54.879
Yes.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.840
Thank you, Funella.
00:15:56.080 --> 00:16:03.679
Like I shared this with you before, if you go to a forest and if you see 100 trees, not two trees are going to be similar.
00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.840
That's why I've created this boiling frog framework.
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:14.480
And every individual can go through this framework and get an answer for themselves.
00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.799
Not one answer is going to be the similar to the other person's answer.
00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:25.840
Let us go and have a deeper dive into what we have discussed, and I'm really looking forward to this conversation with you.
00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:26.399
Thank you.
00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:27.440
Me too, Ash.
00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.240
Thank you.
00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:32.559
If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd greatly appreciate it.
00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:40.559
If you could leave a five-star review, a like, or subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcast.
00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.039
Your support helps us reach more people.
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:48.000
We'd love to hear your thoughts.
00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.759
So don't forget to comment and share for more tips and updates.
00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:56.480
Please be sure to check out our social media links in the description box below.
00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:03.279
We can't wait to have you with us next time as we can see what stress is resilience.
00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:08.640
Remember, it's not the stress itself, but how we rise above it that defines our strength.
00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.759
So stay resilient and keep thriving.
00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:13.920
And we will see you next time.
00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.640
Hello, friends, and a very warm welcome to France Alpha with Dr.
00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:09.119
Ash.
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:12.160
Are you ready to transfer into your conflict?
00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:14.080
First is now Dr.
00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.839
Ash has worked in education across three continents.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:20.800
India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:34.799
To help you transform your stress into a powerful tool for growth and resilience.
00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:45.840
Each week, it would be a practical tool and life-changing insights from people, including the boiling frog, to help you manage your stress, find balance, and live a life of purpose.
00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.560
Please join us every Friday at 5 p.m.
00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.679
and let's start turning stress into strength together.
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.320
Now let's dive into today's episode.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.679
Welcome to the Transforming Stress with Dr.
00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:59.200
Ash podcast Funella.
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:00.479
Good to be here, Ash.
00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:04.400
Lovely to have you in the beautiful Scotland, Glasgow.
00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:13.120
And today we are going to discuss the environmental management aspect of the boiling frog.
00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:14.640
Yeah, which is crucial.
00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:19.519
And of course, we're building on resilience and self-management, which we've already discussed.
00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:20.159
Yes.
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:27.359
As you know that environmental management can be a really make or break.
00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.519
And we know that things change.
00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:34.480
And you and me know it very well.
00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:38.560
Living with the Irish weather and the Scottish weather.
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:38.959
Yep.
00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.680
Really most beautiful countries of the world.
00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:42.159
Yeah.
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.400
But the weather changes.
00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:44.799
Yes.
00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.760
And we are we we basically change according to the weather.
00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:50.400
Yeah, yeah.
00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:51.519
We're constantly adapting.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.439
Con constantly adapting.
00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.280
And you mentioned the word adapting, adapting.
00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:57.840
Yeah.
00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:10.960
If I were to summarize this entire environmental management in word one word, a single word will be adapting.
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:11.919
Absolutely.
00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.759
And I see the quote here that we have from Darwin Ash.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:21.280
And this is one that people sometimes get wrong because they talk about survival of the strongest or the smartest.
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.080
Or the fittest.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:29.120
But in fact, it's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:32.240
It is the one that is most adaptable to change.
00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:42.240
So in this particular section, what I'm teaching, what I'm sharing with the listeners and the readers is adaptive leadership.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:46.960
Now there are five pillars to adaptive leadership.
00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:48.879
And I know I've got you've got the book in front.
00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:50.000
I have the book right now.
00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.560
You start with how do you manage time?
00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:55.759
How do you manage conflict in the environment?
00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.360
How do you manage micro stresses?
00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:09.039
And many times we are in the situations that uh the systems are really old, and we are doing the same thing again and again.
00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.000
So creative innovation.
00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.560
Yeah, the diversity, that diverse element.
00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:14.960
Yes.
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:19.919
And last but not the least, are we going to cognitive overload?
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:32.000
And the cognitive overload is uh equally crucial because I will uh I will tell you more about it, that how it is so important to be aware of the different kinds of cognitive overload.
00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:33.680
But why don't we start one by one?
00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:34.080
Yes.
00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.520
What what is your favorite?
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:45.520
What what what what is your most uh something which you think suddenly can increase the temperature of the surrounding environment?
00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.879
So, what would be the worst stressor that I could think of?
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.039
Honestly, I do think that conflict with other people that can be hard.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:04:04.879
And that sometimes you might have a sense, not not that somebody's shouting at you, but maybe there's passive aggression, maybe somebody just isn't speaking very much, and normally they're quite communicative.
00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:08.000
Those sorts of things can really get to you, I think.
00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:08.400
Right.
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:08.800
Yeah.
00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:15.520
So let's have a let's touch on all these five pillars, yeah, and then one by one we'll take a deeper dive.
00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:16.000
Yeah.
00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:23.600
So I fully agree with you that conflict is something which can increase the temperature all of a sudden.
00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:23.920
Yeah.
00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:30.000
If somebody comes in enters a room, yeah, you don't get along, yeah, you can feel the heat.
00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.360
You can feel the heat increasing in the environment.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.319
Yeah, suddenly the emotional temperature just changes.
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:36.879
Yes, yeah.
00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:37.199
Yeah.
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:49.279
And equally if there is low level dysfunctions in a team, that slowly increases the temperature and creates a boiling frog environment.
00:04:50.000 --> 00:05:08.720
We've been in several uh situations where uh whether it is in uh hospitals or whether it is in primary care or any different kind of working environments, when the team dynamics are not good, it increases temperature in the environment.
00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.319
Let's talk about cognitive overload.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.639
When I say cognitive overload, what are the things which come in your mind?
00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:33.680
I think about overwhelm, about the just so many demands, so many um psychological demands really, managing relationships with people day to day, the just the constant um overstimulation from media, social media.
00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:42.480
You know, we're looking at our phones for so many legitimate reasons, but also I think it it can end up just being something we do habitually, but we're just stuck to our phone.
00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:44.800
Yeah, I think that's a huge stressor.
00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:50.800
And cognitive overload, I mean just dealing with our normal jobs, but dealing with all of these other inputs as well.
00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.079
And I think distractions are the sorts of distractions too.
00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:54.800
Yeah.
00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:55.519
All of that.
00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:05.839
Distractions are big and uh takes us back to what we discussed in the first section uh in the self-discipline versus distractability.
00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:06.319
Yeah.
00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.480
Then you mentioned about uh the smartphones, yeah.
00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:12.959
That the smartphones are making us dumb.
00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:21.519
Literally, somebody was recently telling me that people some people are spending more time on the screen more than the sleep.
00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:22.079
Oh, cool.
00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:27.199
So they might spend eight, nine hours on their phone, and these are very busy people.
00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:27.519
Yeah, yeah.
00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.879
These are very successful people.
00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:29.040
Yeah.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.000
And they might be getting five hours of sleep or six hours of sleep.
00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:34.160
That's a huge investment of time, isn't it?
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.519
It's a huge investment of time.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:35.920
Yeah.
00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.560
So this smartphone is a remarkable tool, yeah.
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:54.959
But if the the distraction it has increased, and the scattered attention and scattered focus, it results in issues with time management.
00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:55.439
Yeah.
00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.720
And that brings us to another skill, how do you manage your time?
00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:04.800
Yeah, yeah, and all tied up with that is energy as well, isn't it, Ash?
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:05.759
Here and there.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:06.160
Yeah.
00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:06.720
Yeah.
00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:16.000
When you say time management, I used to feel that there's so much of work, so much of work, and uh in the hospitals things are getting busy.
00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:24.000
There are patients to see in different departments, managing the teams, administrative work, educational work.
00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:34.240
But uh ultimately I realized that the key is how you manage your energy, how you manage your strengths, how you manage your values.
00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:41.759
And we will go into the details of that, into the when we discuss, uh, when we take a deeper dive into the time management.
00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:43.920
You might be having a full day.
00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:52.560
Yeah, but let's say if your physical batteries are low or mental or emotional, how productive are you going to be during that day?
00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:53.360
Absolutely.
00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:58.959
And when you say strengths and values, it almost it also makes me think about self-awareness and self-reflection.
00:07:59.040 --> 00:07:59.199
Yes.
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:06.160
Because those really need to be present for us to know what our values are and what strengths we're trying to leverage in those situations.
00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:06.560
Yeah.
00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:14.959
Einstein used to say one thing that you cannot judge a fish's ability to climb a tree.
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.399
It's it's not the strength.
00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:17.680
It's not the strength.
00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:18.000
Yeah.
00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:33.200
So if you if if anyone is in a position or in an environment where they are not matched with their strengths, they are forever leaning against the wrong wall.
00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:33.600
Yeah.
00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.159
Yeah.
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:37.840
That's another key insight to understand.
00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:38.240
Yeah.
00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:42.559
Any other thing which comes to you when I say time management, right?
00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.639
Because I know you mentioned that people are getting busier and busier, yeah.
00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:50.720
Yet the productivity is going down.
00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:51.759
Yeah.
00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:52.320
Yeah.
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:54.240
Because sometimes there are knock-on effects.
00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:58.320
People are stressed, they're distressed, they're not happy.
00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:11.840
And I think in those circumstances, our ability to be creative, to engage with things in a creative way, and to find the kind of innovation that we're going to talk about, that shuts down because it's just about survival.
00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.960
It's not about something finding something new.
00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:25.759
And we need to be able to open that up for ourselves a bit and um not not have our poor brains sort of crouching in on themselves in terror from all this input.
00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:28.399
We need to find ways to just loosen that up.
00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:40.399
And I think also the fact that with your book you're working with this theory around right brain, left brain, and how these connect with the what what we sometimes call the primitive brain.
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:40.799
Yes.
00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:48.960
And that the you know, the logical brain, the the left brain tends to just shut down when we've got all these signals coming through.
00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:53.279
But the right brain, the creative side, that can still communicate.
00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.440
So so we're really thinking about that.
00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:03.360
And obviously, part of the way you've done this in the book is to use these great visuals, yeah, which we've been discussing with each section.
00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:08.960
Um, but we're we're gonna look a little more at how we can use creativity and tap into our creative energy.
00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:14.799
But to do that, we need to be managing our time, which will help us to have some energy available to be creative.
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.320
So, Funella, uh, one thing you mentioned about the chronic stress.
00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:18.639
Yeah.
00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:24.559
And the chronic stress can lead the person to be more at the level of the limbic system.
00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.080
You might have heard about limbic hijack or amygdala hijack.
00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:28.320
Yeah.
00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:37.200
People who are chronically stressed, they find it more difficult to work from their prefrontal cortex, which is also the CEO of the brain.
00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:37.440
Yeah.
00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.320
And that's why the decisions might not be rational.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:55.600
The right brain, which is more intuitive, self-awareness and imagery is easier to provided you're connected, provided you are having some kind of mindfulness practices.
00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:56.159
Absolutely.
00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:07.360
And you're slowing down, but it's if you are able to inculcate some kind of practices, then it can change the game.
00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.600
Well, these are resources, aren't they?
00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:10.159
Yes.
00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:15.440
And other thing is about when you mention about the right brain, what strikes me is creativity.
00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:15.759
Yeah.
00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:25.200
And I talk about creative innovation as one of the chapters that if we are stuck doing the same things again and again, can we really think out of the box?
00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.440
Yeah, we we can't see new possibilities.
00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.279
We're just in the same groove all the time.
00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.000
Yeah.
00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:30.960
Yeah.
00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:38.559
If we get think from the right side, we'll try to see, you know, how how we can break that pattern.
00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.120
Yeah.
00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:40.720
Yeah, that's so important.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:51.679
Finally, I would like to add one more thing which is really important to the context of managing the environment, is management of micro stresses.
00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.080
You mentioned about conflict.
00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:59.519
Sometimes conflict can be on your face and you recognize it.
00:11:59.600 --> 00:11:59.679
Yeah.
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:00.960
So and so has come to the point.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.360
And I can see it's on your face.
00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:03.759
Yeah.
00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:08.799
But micro stress is more, as you can see, it's under the table.
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.120
Yeah.
00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:10.159
It's sneaky.
00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.240
It's a constant niggling little thing.
00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:20.080
It's a niggling little thing, but more than that, it can be outside our realm of awareness.
00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:20.559
Yeah.
00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:21.039
Yeah.
00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:38.480
And it's important to understand and pinpoint first of all, what are the signs of chronic stress, chronic micro stress, identify the micro stress, and we'll discuss more in our deeper dive.
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.679
And then what are the antidotes?
00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:46.720
How do you manage the micro stresses?
00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:57.840
And that is actually the strategy and the solution and the strategy to manage the boiling frog environment.
00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:15.759
And that's why if you see the cover, the cover of the book, the cover of the book shows a jacuzzi, and the frogs, instead of boiling to death, I've brought this philosophy of the jacuzzi effect.
00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:26.240
Now they have been able to understand the stresses in the environment, the micro stresses in the environment, they have been able to temper down the temperature.
00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.159
Now they are relaxed.
00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:29.759
They're absolutely enjoying themselves.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.159
Enjoying the jacuzzi environment.
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:40.240
And I felt that when I used to see a lot of colleagues, professionals around me burnt out.
00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:59.440
And equally when I used to see patients over the last three decades from different industries, backgrounds coming with stress, high levels of stress, I used to wonder people work so hard in their lives and towards what endpoint?
00:13:59.600 --> 00:13:59.840
Yeah.
00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:00.879
Yeah, what's it for?
00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:01.679
What's it for?
00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.799
What is the end emotions?
00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:08.159
What are the end, what is the journey bringing them to?
00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:20.000
And it's not just the living in 24-7 stress, but also the manifestations of stress, how it affects your physical health, how it affects your mental health.
00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:20.799
Of course.
00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:21.440
Yeah.
00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:32.000
And can we find better ways to temper down the temperature and make it a nice and a comfortable jacuzzi?
00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:33.840
Because we're not saying there shouldn't be heat.
00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:34.639
We need challenge.
00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.480
Heat is there, it's a part of the life.
00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:36.639
Yeah.
00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:37.679
Welcome to life.
00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:38.000
Yeah.
00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:39.120
There's going to be stress.
00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:39.360
Yeah.
00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:40.000
But high stress.
00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:41.519
There's going to be high levels of stress.
00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:41.919
Yeah.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:54.159
What we want to say is that the stress should not be 24-7 all around the year, which is unregulated, unmanaged, and also toxic levels of stress.
00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.039
Well, absolutely.
00:14:55.120 --> 00:15:03.679
I have clients who come to me and they might say, There has been no single big event in my life, but I feel completely stressed out.
00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:05.200
I feel tired.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.080
I just can't seem to think clearly.
00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:11.519
And I think that's the micro-stress that you're talking about.
00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:21.600
Because what when we channel into what's going on in their lives, sometimes there's an absence of supportive practices of these kinds of strategies that you're talking about.
00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.200
And definitely a presence of those micro-stresses.
00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.600
And they wear and wear away at people.
00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:33.440
So I think this is a really good approach to highlight that and to just look at what are the strategies.
00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:47.919
And I think the reflective awareness sections we've got in each chapter, and also the leaps to action part, which is helping people to move into I suppose if the first part's a diagnosis, it's kind of moving into the cure.
00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:54.320
And so there's there's plenty in the book that's going to help you take immediate action to start to feel a little bit better.
00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:54.879
Yes.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.840
Thank you, Funella.
00:15:56.080 --> 00:16:03.679
Like I shared this with you before, if you go to a forest and if you see 100 trees, not two trees are going to be similar.
00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.840
That's why I've created this boiling frog framework.
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:14.480
And every individual can go through this framework and get an answer for themselves.
00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.799
Not one answer is going to be the similar to the other person's answer.
00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:25.840
Let us go and have a deeper dive into what we have discussed, and I'm really looking forward to this conversation with you.
00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:26.399
Thank you.
00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:27.440
Me too, Ash.
00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.240
Thank you.
00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:32.559
If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd greatly appreciate it.
00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:40.559
If you could leave a five-star review, a like, or subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcast.
00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.039
Your support helps us reach more people.
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:48.000
We'd love to hear your thoughts.
00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.759
So don't forget to comment and share for more tips and updates.
00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:56.480
Please be sure to check out our social media links in the description box below.
00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:03.279
We can't wait to have you with us next time as we can see what stress is resilience.
00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:08.640
Remember, it's not the stress itself, but how we rise above it that defines our strength.
00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.759
So stay resilient and keep thriving.
00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:13.920
And we will see you next time.
