Who doesn’t want to get ahead and be successful?
And who hasn’t felt stressed out by modern life and its demands?
Given the interest and attendance at Getahead, the first ever ‘24 hour festival of the head’, these feelings must be extremely common.
On the 13th of June, Getahead held a 24 hours roundup of stories, advice, and fitness, tackling one of the biggest issues of the 21st century: mental health.
Their goal? Help us to:
Learn how to get ahead without burning out.
Having jumped on a plane from Switzerland as soon as I found out about the festival, I am sharing here 24 tips I learned from amazing speakers during 24 hours of Getahead.
Note: They vaguely range from most commonly accepted to most novel — but hey, that’s just my personal bias.
Here we go:
24. Use sport as stress and anger relief
‘Get back in shape’ tops the New Year’s resolution list each year.
However, it’s about more than energy, endurance, and fitting in our jeans.
Regular exercise can also be used to release tension, pressure, stress, and anger. Joseph Packs, co-founder of Pilotfish.io, used sport to conduct emotions ‘out’ in a non-detrimental manner.
23. Create a downtime ritual
We’re creatures of habit.
A downtime ritual helps the brain switch to relax mode automatically, according to Dr Anna Waters, Lead Psychologist at Chimp Management.
Imagine feeling relaaaaaxed every day, right after you drink a tall glass of water as you walk through the office doors.
22. Watch your mouth
How do you talk to or about yourself?
Our choice of words impacts how we perceive things.
Paul Mort, an Unstoppable Bastard, cautioned us against the use of exaggerated or negative language. Modulating our words according to what we truly want to express is crucial for a positive mindset.
“I’m tired” versus “I’m super exhausted” can go a long way.
21. Drink your water
Ok, that’s really obvious.
Yet not necessarily in relation to mental health.
Drinking enough water helps deliver oxygen, regulate body temperature, produce hormones, and regulate digestion amongst other cool facts.
So if you’re stressed AND dehydrated, your body has a harder time calming down. Go ahead, follow Getahead speakers’ lead, and grab a glass!
20. “Run towards something, not away from something”
Joseph Packs, an ex-nomad, knows it well; trying to escape an undesirable situation won’t help. Your issues will always catch up with you (yes, even while surfing in Bali).
Instead, change your mindset positively, run towards a goal.
This new attitude reframes your current situation; instead of ignoring issues, you’re actively pursuing their solutions.
19. Sleeeeeep
“Yoooo, I’ve been sleeping like 4 hours a day lately”
So cool, mate. Unless you have actual insomnia or sleeping disorder, not getting enough sleep is really not cool. Stop bragging about it.
Getting regular and enough sleep is crucial for our mental wellbeing. No need to be a neurologist to know we’re sharper, more focused and in control when we get our zzzzs.
And if a successful, young entrepreneur like Sam Applebee insists upon it, we should listen.
18. Connect with nature
If you still doubt the power of natural landscapes on our wellbeing, ask keynote speaker Michael Acton Smith, or incredible advocate Jake Tyler.
- Michael made nature a key feature of his award-winning meditation app, with landscapes that induce relaxation
- Jake is taking a 3,000 mile lap of Great Britain (on foot!) to raise money for mental health, and being in nature got him out of depression
So when are you getting that plant for your office desk?
17. Focus on GAIN versus GAP
From Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach program, this change in mindset is everything.
- GAP = measuring your success based on an ideal. I am here now, but I want to be at an ideal point.
- GAIN = measuring your success based on your progress. I am here now, and this is how far I’ve come.
In Dan’s words,
One leads to unhappiness, the other to a satisfying life and, always, an increased sense of confidence.
I’ll let you guess which mindset we should adopt.
16. No phone no problem
We all know we need time without our phone. But man, isn’t it hard?
Sam Applebee and Michael Acton Smith both chose morning time to do it.
The former spends his entire breakfast without his phone, while the latter does not turn it on before reaching a coffee shop.
15. Practice patience and active listening
If you notice someone is having a hard time, be patient.
Listen.
Share your own story, if you think it helpful. But most importantly, be truly, genuinely there to listen. And patiently help them get 5% closer to therapy, each time you chat with them.
James Routledge and Joseph Packs both highly encourage this approach based on personal experiences.
14. Get 15 minutes of sunlight a day
That is, unless you live in foggy San Francisco.
But even then, going outside for some fresh air on a rainy, cloudy day will help change your mindset.
And if a CEO like Michael Acton Smith has time to do so, you do too.
13. Get enough omega 3
That’s the fish one, right?
Yes, but don’t fret, there are several veg-friendly options for omega 3, including chia seed, walnuts, and soybeans.
And why does it matter?
Recent studies suggest omega 3 can significantly help fight some forms of depression. And it helps our brain function properly, so it’s a win win.
12. Understand the cycle of change
Dom McGregor, COO of The Social Chain Group, shared his personal experience with the well-known cycle of change framework by Prochaska:
- Pre-contemplation — I got no problem
- Contemplation — Okay maybe, I do
- Preparation — So… let’s work on this
- Action — I’m changing!
- Maintenance — Let’s keep this up
- Relapse — Ay, I slipped… let’s try this again
Whether it’s working on substance abuse, compulsive aggressiveness or an unconditional love for burgers, we all go through this cycle.
Let’s understand and embrace each stage, and the challenges it brings along.
11. Watch for signs of burnout
Burning out does not come knocking with a big neon sign, heeeeellllooooo, I’m here, I’ll burn you out in 6 months!
No, it prefers subtlety. And if we aren’t careful, we’ll overlook early signs.
- Feeling tired or overwhelmed?
- Having frequent headaches?
- Questioning your worth, feeling demotivated?
Make sure to educate yourself on the possible symptoms but most importantly, LISTEN to your body.
10. Say no if and when needed
In the corporate rat race, saying no to tasks and projects might seem crazy.
Yet it is essential to your wellbeing at work.
Jana Downling, founder of The 888 Collective, cautioned us against taking on more than we can sustain in the long run. And in my opinion, it’s not worth burning ourselves out for a pat on the back from our manager.
9. Use a clean computer
Nope, not talking about your laptop.
Actually talking about the part of our brain that holds beliefs and expectations; our ‘computer’ in the Chimp Model.
As Anna Waters discussed from the Getahead stage, getting rid of unhelpful expectations (‘everyone needs to like me’) and replace them with realistic ones (‘perfectionism is unhelpful; we can achieve 80% of result with 20% of effort’) is crucial to a balanced life.
8. Avoid celebrating successes with drinks and partying
Finished work early? Get a drink!
New contract? Pop the champagne!
New partnership? Let’s go clubbing!
Sounds fun to (nearly) all of us, right?
Except it is very easy to spiral out of control.
Making substances a reward means our mind and body crave them whenever we feel the highs of success (or the lows of a hard day).
Instead, train yourself to crave fresh juices, or long nature walks. If Dom McGregor did it, you can too.
7. Meditation
Nope, not asking you to take up chanting, large robes, and zen riddles.
Meditation is simply learning to calm the mind.
The benefits are countless, and numerous entrepreneurs cite it as a key to success (read more on HBR). Michael Acton Smith, CEO of arguably the best meditation app out there (sorry, I’m biased), is a living proof.
Try one of these apps and see for yourself.
6. Dismiss “awkward” or “taboo” around mental health
“Weak”. “Awkward topic”. “Other people”
Really? Have you never felt stress? Doubt? Anxiety? Anger? Have you never listened to a friend mention they “can’t deal with it anymore”?
Livity founder Michelle Morgan had to face these comments when she first noticed she needed some time off. But these attitudes are clearly unhelpful.
We need to dismiss the taboo whenever we encounter it. Who knows? One day, it may be us trying to express our mental health issues.
5. Make sure to check in regularly with someone who knows you (well)
Imagine living in a new country every 3 weeks, making new friends, discovering new places. Sounds awesome, right?
Except the impermanence of relationships means that no one truly, genuinely knows you.
No one can spot the changes in your moods, behaviours, and feelings. No one can see common signs of burnout or depression.
As Sam Applebee said, it is crucial to check in with someone who can tell you you’ve changed, especially when the change is negative.
4. CANDO framework: Connect Active Nice Discover Observe
A gold nugget from one of the most powerful speakers, Geoff McDonald. He shared this everyday blueprint to follow for improved wellbeing:
- Connect with friends and family
- Be fit and Active
- Be Nice to at least one person
- Discover, stay curious and learn something new
- Observe, people, nature, anything other than your screen
3. Define success in human-led chimp-friendly way
What, be friends with my local zoo’s chimpanzees?
Nah, simply ensure your definition of success is compatible both with your ‘human’ and with your ‘chimp’. Another nugget from the Chimp Model.
That is, define success rationally (ex: have a healthy, happy family), but ensure that your chimp’s desires are not overlooked (ex: … and a very nice car).
2. Accept yourself
Hmm, sounds very obvious, why isn’t it one of the first points?
Because it is one of the single most difficult tasks in life.
Learn to reflect, understand, and accept yourself. The way your mind works, what makes you happy, what triggers stress. Who you are.
As Joseph Packs and other genuine souls said, there is nothing worse than not accepting what you are going through, who you are, and who you want to be.
1. Share your story
The single most important advice: speak up.
For your sake (to get help, to feel better, to have self compassion).
For others (to help them understand themselves, to explain).
For the world (to break the sigma).
These 24 tips don’t do justice to the amazing stories I heard at Getahead.
But I hope they convey the genuineness, support, and advocacy felt at the conference.
And I hope they help you work on your mental health.
See you at Getahead next year!
