Using Time to Control Worry and Negative Forecasting
Driving needs control inside the vehicle, not outside
The words “Control” and “Mental Resilience” are strong words. Their hard syllables in any sentence add to the tone when you hear it.
It is important that we understand the role of control to manage our minds, and how to use it to manage the daily stress and worries, or in other words have ‘resilience’ to cope. A key focus is on what you can control.
A good example is driving. When you are driving have you ever noticed how you react to annoying incidences that are outside of your car and control: major crash ahead, heavy rain, or even your side of the road slowing down to look at an incident on the other side? These are items that are out of your control but we can put so much of our emotions and time into them, especially when we don’t have the resilience. The results can give us mental frustration: thinking and worrying about their impact which can also directly affect our own driving.
It is important to realise that focusing on these items can be a waste of time and effort, especially under DVLA Rule 149: “You MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times.” What we can control is our own vehicle through the relevant controllers and components. We are trained to manage these and how to react to moments to protect ourselves.
Building mental resilience will make it easier to notice and react to negative moments and to use techniques to take back control. It will help you to react in a rational way. A respondent to a MMS survey with the publication, ‘Professional Paraplanners’ shared ways to build mental resilience “meditation, yoga, taking breaks to take a few deep breaths when things feel like they're spiralling out of control.” They are all related to time.
A key tip is to put in a time in your day which is focused on your control techniques. The word ‘time’ is mentioned many times in the MMS surveys as a way to manage stress; here are some of the answers: “time out from the computer screen” and “I log off on time every night so that my work doesn't impact my mood in my free time”.
It is important not to compare yourself to your colleagues nor others about how you make use of your time. Your mind is different to others and reacts to different periods and uses of time.
You might have a list that helps you or might go back to what you have done. Here are some tips about finding the time to use from Select Health”
Break it up during your day. Time can be short or long.
Wake up a little earlier. It is one way to make the time to spend time with yourself and try the Circle of Strength items.
Make me- time. Use exercise or other actions that you enjoy.
Ask for help. This can be at work or a home contact, so that you can do something that will help you.
Find time to laugh. Laughter drives positive emotions and can remind you of the status in a rational way.
Focus on ways that you can control and that can drive a positive mindset which will . The benefit will be to react to quicker changes in your daily role.
You can read this and more articles on Professional Paraplanners HERE.