To achieve a degree of balance in our lives we need to do two things – reduce or remove stressors, but just as importantly incorporate resilience forces (RF) into our routine. Most of us use RF daily, these are activities that take our mind and body away from the rigors of daily living. Basically – doing stuff we enjoy!

So what changes an enjoyable activity into a RF? The answer is timing, perspective and the circumstances we find ourselves in. When we are under pressure the tendency is to devote more time to the problem and forego ‘the fun things’. This is probably the wrong thing to do.

The brain is an incredible organ – it operates in ways beyond my comprehension but I know it needs looking after. Apart from the physiological need for food and oxygen, I feel my brain needs three things – stimulation, relaxation and rest. It gets rest when I sleep (hence the importance of sleep); stimulation (good and bad) when I work, do interesting things, worry, get anxious. The relaxation piece happens when my brain goes to that neutral place where it can “offload”. Over the years I have recognized that both reading and music are both beneficial in helping me unwind. I find just short periods of time doing these incredibly relaxing. This is why lots of people recommend interspersing downtime breaks during periods of intense pressure. The pressure is on, deadlines have to be met, taking a reading break seems counterintuitive- but it is not just reading, it is relaxing your brain ready to rejoin the tussle.

If you are not a reader or music fan it doesn’t matter – just find what works for you.

The ability of individuals to cope is highly variable. A good friend of mine puts this down to the degree of proactivity that individuals demonstrate. Proactive people appear to cope better than reactive people. When you think about it, this notion is pretty logical. Proactives scan the world around them, sensing both opportunities and threats, they are planners and early adopters of appropriate actions.Proactivity is prevention to stop issues escalating and threatening to overwhelm.

Without understanding the physiological mechanism, I feel there is a link between the brain and body. I have always found physical exercise a positive in managing my balance – walking,hiking, jogging,swimming, gardening,gym work,pilates and team sports have played an important part at various stages of my life. Achieving 10k steps is not a chore! At some of the most stressful periods of our lives, a half hour walk with my wife- talking about all kinds of stuff- was incredibly therapeutic. Again,this has been recognized for a long time, the magic is to have the resolve and discipline to get out and do it. Walking is free -costs nothing, it is dynamic – who knows what you will encounter , even in a city there is the opportunity to commune with nature – look and you will see.

Thinking of a lifetime in business and industry I have encountered a vast number of highly productive and incredibly resilient people. They tend to have one thing in common. Outside of their work responsibilities they have a passion. Some are collectors (munros, whiskey miniatures, wine, books,stamps, coins, old bottles, antiques, maps, pencils,beer mats to name but a few), some love outdoor pursuits ( orienteering,fishing, golf,cycling),photography, painting, restoring old cars, woodworking, preserving home grown produce………… It is like they have two complementary lives that are synergistic, each helping the other out. The passion acting as ballast countering the volatility, challenges and stresses of life.

Resilience is not some innate gift that some people have, it can be learned and developed. Resilience is a choice.