Whats Your Function? Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? Let’s talk about you. Specifically, let’s talk about what happens to you when the poop hits the fan. When things get stressful and anxious. When the boss is screaming in one ear and your kid is screaming in the other. When you’re rushing to an appointment and you get a flat tire. When you’re bored and desperate to procrastinate. When your brother calls you up and asks for money again, or when your mom gets sick. In these moments, what do you do? How do you work? Let’s pop the hood and find out. Do you over- or under-function? There are two primary responses to stress: over-functioning, and under-functioning. OVERFUNCTIONING: ALL SYSTEMS GO! People who tend to over-function are the folks you want driving your ambulance or in charge of your country. When crisis calls, they swing into action. They are focused, strong, organized, decisive. They always come through. They live by action plans, to-do lists, spreadsheets, and calendars. They may be described as “supermom” or “having it all”. No matter what happens, no matter how bad they feel, regardless of whether the world is crumbling around them, over-functioners get out of bed in the morning and march bravely onward. Some famous over-functioners include: Superman King Leonidas of Sparta Lara Croft UNDERFUNCTIONING: CHECKING OUT People who tend to under-function are the folks who crawl under the desk, or who are somehow able to say “no big deal”, when disaster strikes. They collapse inwards. Get overwhelmed. Under-functioners lose things, get lost and befuddled. They’re the spouses who can never seem to find anything, the friends who are always late, or the kids who are always losing their mittens. When stress happens, under-functioners retreat. Some famous under-functioners include: The Dude Ally McBeal Pete Doherty There’s no wrong or right way to be. Each style of coping has advantages and disadvantages. And some people go back and forth from over- to under-functioning. Under stress, OVER-functioners tend to: • take on too much — and they love a challenge, although they gravitate towards difficult-easy • feel responsible for everything • juggle a million things • suffer from burnout and intense worries • feel like they could control the universe, if they just tried harder • resent under-functioners for their apparent “laziness” or “laissez-faire” approach to life • try to help or fix under-functioners anyway Under stress, UNDER-functioners tend to: • avoid taking anything on, especially things that are difficult-difficult • avoid responsibility • feel overwhelmed even with only a few things to do • suffer from depression • feel like life “just happens” to them, or like a victim of circumstance • resent over-functioners for their apparent “Type-A-ness” or “perfection” • seek out over-functioners anyway
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:37:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015