How to Find Synergy: Transform Your Flow in Fitness, to Flow in Work

From my new publication series:

“Lessons Learned on my Attorney-to-Creative Journey”

If you’ve read my prior posts, you’ll notice an overarching theme in most everything I write:

The desire to unify our Self, to be whole and bring synergy and success to everything that we do.

I’m putting this into practice in my new publication series: “Lessons Learned on my Attorney-to-Creative Journey.”

And, in my last post — The Art of the Professional Pivot: 10 Mindset Resets to Publicize Your Creative Self — I described how we can use our emotions to bring synergy to what we do.

In particular, Mindset Reset #7: Be Mindful of Your Feelings, recommends this:

“While you’re creating, note how you feel at each step of the process.

Don’t let yourself get so stressed out that you fail to see what you’re enjoying (or not).

Most of all, pay attention to when you’ve entered a state of Flow, where time seems to slip away because you’re so engrossed in what you’re learning or doing.”

In other words, when we’re trying to achieve the goals we’ve set, let’s not RUSH to speed through our tasks.

When we do that, we can get lost in seeking the goal, and lose sight of our why.

So much so, we may not even realize that, somewhere down the road, we don’t actually want what we’re trying to achieve.

So, beware the RUSH!

Lest we forget to ask ourselves:

• Why do we want to achieve this goal?
• Do we actually enjoy what’s necessary to achieve the goal?
• Is it even any fun?
• What are the obstacles that are in our way, and are we willing to do the work that’s necessary to overcome them?
• How does it make us feel?

Which brings me to today’s observation:

There’s Power In a SLOW Move

Have you ever been to the gym and watched as many a bodybuilder will pick up the biggest weights that they can lift and proceed to rush through all their reps, as fast as possible?

Well, it’s not necessarily a sign of strength.

And it can result in injury due to poor form.

In actuality, there’s significant power in a SLOW move.

A deliberately SLOW move.

In fact, you’ll find that when you lift much more slowly, or vary the tempo with which you lift and/or lower (known as “time under tension”), it can become harder to lift a lower amount of weight, but you will make great gains in your strength, endurance, muscle definition, and weight loss.

I find this to be true for me, and it’s one of the reasons why I have made steady gains when I lift at the gym, without lifting insane amounts of weight.

It’s also why I do my Vinyasa Yoga very, very slowly, like I’m moving through honey, as I move from plank position, down to the floor, and lift myself back up, through push-up position, to a slow, full cobra.

Yes, there’s a lot you can do with just your body weight.

There’s so much power in a slow move.

Likewise…

Finding Synergy’s a Slow, Deliberate Practice

Take What You Know from the Gym, and Bring It to Work with You

In this story, I describe how my definition synergy extends beyond what’s in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

To me, finding synergy’s a practice.

And it’s worth it. When you apply what works for you in one area of life to another, you can achieve success in everything you do.

But, finding synergy can be hard sometimes.

It’s not always concrete or something that’s easy to spot.

I usually find synergy in moments of contemplation.

Like when I’m journaling. Or meditating.

It’s in those moments when I can look inward, to reflect on what’s working and what’s not.

Those moments are the fountain of great epiphanies.

But, the gym’s slightly different.

At the gym, my body’s very active, as I do a weekly mix of lifting, kickboxing, dance, yoga, pilates, and barre ballet.

But, I love to meditate while I’m exercising.

I think that’s why, when it comes to my fitness routine, the lessons I’ve learned are so obvious to me, because of the compound effect:

I have years of data and observation to look at.

Finding Synergy: Flowing from Fitness, to Flowing in Work

Now, I find myself applying so much of what I’ve learned about fitness — about the power of reps, proper form, grit, finding Flow, and fun — to my work.

To my legal work.

And, now, to my YouTube Channel. 

I’m deliberately SLOWING DOWN as I learn how to record, edit, and publish each YouTube video for my writing and music.

And I find myself not only able to focus more easily on the practical task at hand, but also on my emotions.

I’m realizing what I enjoy:
• The anticipation of doing it was worse than doing it.
• Doing it was actually a lot of fun.
• I discovered my favorite part was when I learned how to apply  what I’d learned from studying many experienced YouTubers.

And I learned what I don’t like about the process:
• I can’t say for sure, because I haven’t had to do much editing so far, but I suspect I will not want to do much of the post-production work down the road.
• Many YouTubers hire others to do their post-production, and I may want to do that, as well.

Time will tell, but the point is:

I’ve only been able to notice these things about myself because I slowed down, to take regular breaks to pause and reflect, to notice how each step of the process was making me feel.

The focus wasn’t just on meeting a deadline.

And that’s actually hard for me to do.

Because I have a long list of to-do’s for work and my family.

So, there’s a strong urge to “get it done” and get it done FAST.

But, I’m reminding myself that the Turtle wins the race.

And what’s worked for me in the gym — a slow, deliberate practice — will give me similar gains in my Attorney-to-Creative journey.

What about you?

Are there areas in your life, where you’ve benefited from a SLOW practice?

Do you find ways to apply that knowledge, to achieve synergy in other things that you do?

The Turtle in me honors and respects the Turtle in each of you,
Marisa