Is the concept of counter-intuition translating as modern absurdity in today’s world? Read about these four counter-intuitive concepts and decide how they could work for you in both your personal and business life.
Intuition is important in life. We all live by it every day. Sometimes counter-intuition is even better and can lead us to new and exciting discoveries. I’ve found four counter-intuitive concepts that really work, and I’m going to write about them separately:
2. Slow Down to Get More Done!
3. Less is More!
These counterintuitive concepts are becoming widely accepted in today’s world. The old life choices are being challenged as we expand our consciousness and open up smarter choices for a fulfilling life.
Most of us are learning to embrace a modus vivendi that reflects contemporary society. No longer do we focus strictly on making money. Instead, life is about self-realization and leaving our mark in the world.
Our modern society is sleep deprived! That is revolutionary thinking, made popular by Arianna Huffington, who started the radical The Sleep Revolution movement.
Sleep deficiency affects every one of us, individually in different ways. Our health is jeopardized, along with our job performance and our ability to experience fulfilment and a sense of accomplishment.
When we think of revolution, the first thing that comes to mind is political. We think of angry people protesting against suppression, overthrowing one political system in favor on another.
When the word “revolution” is attached to the word “sleep,” well, that’s a different idea altogether. The sleep revolution focuses on the now and the search to be grounded. If is fueled by self-awareness, meditation, and a lot more sleep!
That Was Then
Back in the highly motivated 1980s, sleep deprivation was a must. How else could yuppies accomplish all the things on their agenda? People who valued doing rather than being gave up sleep so they could tick off the tasks on their list.
Says Adri, “I thought exhaustion was part of life. I never challenged that idea when I was in my thirties.”
Young people had energy and they burned it. The 1980s were all about the future. Do do do now so that later . . .
Adri continued, “Well, you know what happened to me as a result of living in the future? When I finally got the promotion I had worked so hard for, I was burned out. I couldn’t perform. I wasn’t even interested in the grind anymore. I couldn’t be the boss pushing the lemmings off the cliff.”
Says Jenny, “Assessing productivity was completely different. You had to work harder and do more than others, not necessarily perform better. It was a numbers game.”
This Is Now
In today’s business world and in our personal life, completing a lot of tasks does not equate to accomplishing a lot of goals.
Now is quite the opposite. We would rather do less and have better results. We’d rather be better people, not those stressed-out people running around like chickens that we used to be.
Kathleen says, “Baby Boomers had to show how hard they worked. Millennials choose to show how smart they work.”
Where Did It All Begin?
Boomers were the first generation in North America after World War II. Their parents had survived the war and were determined and hardworking. They raised a generation to be committed, intentional, and as hardworking as they were.
Working smart and taking time to smell the roses were not options. Our parents taught us to survive, even those of us who were born during the economic boom that followed the war.
The animosity toward sleep came from the belief that if you were asleep, you weren’t doing anything. You were lazy! Laziness and doing less than you could were not acceptable.
The generations that followed saw the Boomers as over-doers, overly committed and exhausted. By the time the Millennials came along, there had been a complete turnaround.
George, a Generation X-er, said, “When I was young, my mother was always doing a million things. There was no time to take a break. I didn’t know how she could carry on. Then she started meditating so she could focus more and do more! Overachiever much?”
After the Boomers, people embraced different values, especially a newer and wider sense of self. “Lazy” became part of us, just like “focused” and “driven.” And we re-evaluated the importance of sleep.
The Present Is Now
Now we finally understand the importance of waking up rested. We know that recharging our batteries is essential to keeping our mind serene. Good concentration resulting from a good night’s sleep improves the quality of our personal and business life.
Here’s George again. “After being raised on the model of do do do, I see a shift in people of all generations.”
Millennials take it for granted that they revolutionized the world. In reality, it was the Boomers once again who started thinking about the more balanced lifestyle that the new generations have embraced.
“I can’t function if I don’t sleep at least eight hours a night,” says Mirella. “I often try for nine. My capacity to make good decisions depends on how disciplined I am about going to bed at the right time.”
Now we brag with pride about how much we sleep, how much we meditate, how much yoga we do. Have you embraced your sleeper within? Have you become part of the Sleep Revolution?
XOXO, Monica
Are you ready to sleep all the way to the top? Have you discovered the power of sleep?
Vancouver Executive Business Coach and Life Coach Monica Magnetti has written the manual for you! 30 DAYS TO A NEW YOU — Get What You Want Through Authentic Change
Download for FREE: the book, the summary chart, and the workbook exercises.
Originally published at www.lunacoaching.com on April 10, 2017.
Originally published at medium.com