Blue Dots Partners

Crisis + Uncertainty = Stress.

The combination of the Brexit referendum outcome and pre-existing EU and global economic uncertainty created yet another economic crisis that is generating high levels of uncertainty. For a lengthy period, we are all left to fend for ourselves to chart the right course for our businesses and our personal lives. Of course, that is not really any different than how we have always lived and worked.

What is different today is that we are bombarded with and must sift through enormous amounts of information. Every day, news stories, market reports, political posturing, and pundits’ predictions confront us with threats of EU and global market collapse.

You have probably seen too many Brexit-related quotes already but the following present a good contrast of “then versus now”.

Then: The UK is not going to leave the European Union. Of course not. We are inextricably wound up with Europe. In terms of culture, history and geography, we are a European nation. We are condemned to work with each other. Isolation is not the solution. Nick Clegg MP and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Spiegel interview, May 21, 2012.

Now: The UK’s Brexit vote was “the most important moment since the fall of the Berlin Wall. If I win the presidential election, there will be a referendum… The question should be asked in every EU country.” Marine Le Pen, French National Front leader and MEP, BBC Newsnight, June 28, 2016.

Eventually, the Brexit knot of uncertainty will be untied. It may take years and there will be some ugliness along the way. Most of us will need to deal with fallout in terms added stress in our business and personal financial lives. How do we personally solve the stress equation?

You could do what you have done in the past. Stay focused. Keep everything in perspective. Maintain a positive attitude. Seek guidance from financial experts. Survey friends and colleagues. Dive into relevant articles and videos. Take action. Share and enjoy a good bottle of wine. Read a book. Watch or listen to entertainment. Run a marathon. Go fly-fishing. Meditate. Or…put your head in the sand. But what do the professionals say?

Source: Travis Bradberry, PhD, Forbes 12/9/14

A 2012 Yale University Research Study funded by the NIH highlights the negative implications of prolonged stress. Of course that research and the impact of the diagram above may stress you further… Fortunately, there are methods to align your mind, body, and spirit to effectively counter the stress you face. As we often say at Blue Dots: “Alignment is everything.” Travis Bradberry, the author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and cofounder of TalentSmart, offers Seven Strategies:

• Say “no” to new commitments
• Disconnect and regularly take time off the grid
• Neutralize toxic people
• Don’t hold grudges
• Practice mindfulness
• Put things in perspective
• Use your support system

Stress…it’s a necessary part of life, it won’t go away during crises, but it is manageable.