Sometimes you just have had enough. How do you get to that point?
Psychologically, we have finite resources. Our brains can only process so many things at once, say in our environment or when a stream of consciousness is spilling out of our mouths. This is why the more you train at something, the more it becomes second nature and you don’t have to focus on it as much, allowing those resources to be dedicated elsewhere.
The personal construct of bandwidth is about applying this understanding to your daily life. Recognizing that there is an upper bound before everything comes to a halt, and how reducing the clutter on track makes everything move more smoothly.
The first time I thought about bandwidth was when my boss said something about needing to “free up some bandwidth” to take on a project. He was doing too much as it was, and recognized that he had to get some things off of his desk before contributing to a new source.
The second time I thought about this I was using to explain how someone builds their alcohol tolerance. There is always a point where someone will blackout or die, but if someone approaches that “too drunk” area on a few drinks they can learn to stretch their bandwidth in the happy “buzzed” zone where social interactions are looser and they’re still in control.
The analogy works in both instances.
So how can you apply this construct to your daily life?
Recognize Your Limits. You can’t stay within let alone expand your bandwidth if you don’t know the line you’re trying to expand.
Recognize Your Strengths. Know what your high points are and how to use them to your advantage on your quests.
Take A Stand. “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Maintain your personal standards.
Be Proactive and Take Action. Acknowledge your goals, and go after them. Make calculate decisions about what your bandwidth currently is, where you want it to be, and how to get there.