Taking the Long View
Hi friend,
I promise this is NOT a post about hair care (much less an advertisement for the Dyson hairdryer), but rather a warning and illustration about how our anxious brains are constantly prompting us to act in ways that run counter to both logic and our best interest.
BACKSTORY:
Over a year ago, I was gifted a Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer (thanks, mom!). As the name suggests, this hairdryer uses advanced technology to dry hair way faster than other hairdryers while purportedly reducing frizz, increasing shine, and protecting hair from the negative effects of heat.
BUT, as with all things that seem too good to be true, this gift came with a catch:
In order for the Dyson to actually DO any of the aforementioned things, I'd have to take it out of the plastic-wrapped box AND set it up.
In other words, I’d have to allow myself to slow down and switch gears for approximately 5 minutes — something that seemed like a preclusively big ask each time I scrambled to get ready on a "hair-wash morning." (Anyone with long or even slightly thick/unruly hair will appreciate how much extra time, effort, and emotional energy those mornings require.🤣)
And so, for over a year, my Dyson sat on the floor in a box gathering dust on its plastic covering.
That is, until yesterday, when my old hairdryer finally gave out, and I was forced to take the plunge.
THE RESULT:
It ended up taking me less than 3 minutes to unwrap and assemble the Dyson.
And that Dyson shaved more than 5 minutes off of my blow-dry routine, leaving me with a net GAIN of 2 minutes, not to mention the hours of time I'll save cumulatively going forward.
(Did it reduce frizz and increase shine? You tell me 🤷♀️)
THE POINT:
There are probably countless actions you've considered taking that would pay off dividends in terms of your future productivity, performance, and/or well-being if you could only give them a shot.
Just a few examples:
Adopting a quick mindfulness practice that empowers you to calm your mind and enhance concentration
Setting up the appropriate do-not-disturb settings on your phone and work devices to block out distractions while enabling your emergency contacts to get in touch
Taking a five-minute walk in the middle of a marathon work session to reduce fatigue and boost creativity and clarity of thinking
Meeting with a coach or therapist to identify and overcome any blocks preventing you from moving forward toward a goal that’s been evading you
The list goes on.
But our anxious, change-averse brains are incredibly convincing in persuading us (erroneously) that we just don't have the time.
And, ironically, it's the times when we're especially stressed/overwhelmed and actually need these tools the MOST that our brains get most adamant that we can't possibly spare the modest amount of time required to invest in them.
But we are not beholden to our anxious brains.
And we need not — and indeed should not — wait until our actual or metaphorical hairdryers give out (or we ourselves burn out) in order to call their bluff.
So today, friend, I encourage you to ask yourself:
What positive action item have you been allowing to linger out there gathering dust in order to satisfy your anxious brain's impulse to just keep moving?
Once you've identified it, I encourage you to give yourself the gift of permission to PAUSE and invest the time necessary to reap those long-term gains.
Because who doesn’t want reduced frizz and a little more shine in their life?
And you, my friend, deserve absolutely nothing less.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s any way I can support you in taking that step.
In the meanwhile, know that I am rooting for you.
With love,
Jordana
