Introduction to Self-awareness
Self-awareness – what is it?
'Knowing your own strengths and limitations and understanding your own emotions and the impact of your behaviour on others in diverse situations.'
We would extend that to include learning more about how your body works, your mind works and what matters to your inner self (we don't using the word spirit to remain neutral to any religious connotations) – what is the purpose and direction that you wish for in your life?
It is a more holistic definition of self awareness and our rationale for that is that to understand your emotions, for example, is not just to understand the mental / feeling aspect to them but also to understand that our blood sugar level will influence our energy level which in turn will influence our emotional state which then influences our behaviou and causes reactions in others.
So to become more self-aware is not just about understanding how each component of body, mind and inner self works it is also about understanding how they interdependently affect each other.
The world of sport has advanced much of our understanding of this interdependence and sports science is constantly searching for new ways of improving performance through analysis of the mind / body link. They know that dehydration of the body will lead to reduced physical performance but also a loss in the ability to concentrate – what goes into the body or does not go into the body can affect the mind. We advocate extending the recognition of the mind/body link to the mind/body/inner self link. Who has not found themselves physically and mentally energized by a new found purpose or direction to their lives?
Why does it matter?
At work it matters because your improving self-awareness will allow you to:
identify which role you are best suited to – this means you are more likely to enjoy your time at work and suffer less stress. Stress, as you can read elsewhere in this reportl, is ok in small doses but prolonged stress can lead to serious ill health. If, through low self-awareness you are chasing the wrong career path you can create unnecessary stress, frustration and ill health. The link between knowing yourself and good health is, in this instance, very clear.
become a better manager or leader – in medium/large organisations this may require strong relationship skills and often means working across teams and within networks. Managers and leaders must be able to share responsibilities with others and be aware of the impact they have on each other others. Successful collaborative working requires managers and leaders with good self-awareness that allows them to understand the impact they have on planning, targets and projects.
manage time more effectively: conflicting priorities may be better managed with greater self awareness, and helping anyone you are responsible for will be easier with an improved management of your own time.
allocate the human resource you are responsible for in a more efficient and productive way without increasing the stress they may feel. Understanding your own personal limitations allows you to position other people with the right strengths to take the responsibility where appropriate. In short, it improves your ability to delegate effectively and empower others.
sustain your energy, enthusiasm and work ethic even during intense periods of change or other difficult times. It improves your resilience and helps you learn from mistakes and avoid repeating them.
Outside of work it matters to the quality of your:
family relationships;
friendships; and
personal fulfillment.
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© 2012 7futures Ltd. Please note that, at 7Futures, our role is to help educate and encourage our clients to take positive responsibility for their wellbeing. We are not medical doctors and are not able to offer individual medical advice. We always recommend you should discuss with your GP or other medical professional before making any changes you hope will impact your wellbeing, or that of your current/future family. 7Futures Ltd offers generic information which is for educational purposes only. The information we provided is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As such our materials, videos products and communications are for general information purposes only and should not be read as a personal recommendation for specific changes in lifestyle behaviour, nutrition, or exercise. Please click here for a clear description of our services and the relationship with you as a client. You should not participate in any of our services until you have studied this link...it is for your benefit.