Before lockdown, I had planned to write this article listing all the personal benefits to be gained from practicing improv.
However, how to handle personal goals has become a hot topic the past couple of months. There appear to be two camps: one says that you should be using this time to learn new skills and do all the things you've been putting off. The other says we should take it easy on ourselves and embrace the fact that the world is in trauma.
online taster sessions may be less daunting to someone wanting to improv their self-confidence
I think I lean more towards the second camp. I also feel that if you are caring for someone else at the moment such as a child or elderly relative then you're totally within your rights to put up two fingers to the whole debate! The same goes for those who have had to pivot their business model completely and are suddenly working round the clock.
This article is mainly for team leaders and employees who are concerned about how lockdown may stunt personal growth.
Despite what many are trying to say, this global crisis is not a leveller. As I've said already, some have to make family or health their priority. There may be some more worried than others in your team about finances. Some may be experiencing a relapse in their mental health and some may be experiencing mental health issues for the first time. It is also very likely that you are carrying all of the above.
As someone who has suffered from anxiety and depression, I know how important it is to be gentle with yourself. This is especially true when it comes to setting personal standards. That said, I am also aware of how motivating it can be just taking a small step in the right direction.
So, I'm still going to list the personal benefits. Indeed, my new online taster sessions may be less daunting to someone who wants to improve in these areas:
Self confidence
Public speaking
Interpersonal skills
Networking
Creative thinking
Multitasking
Mindfullness
If you would like to find out more about how improv can help you with these skills, please get in touch. You may also find some of my previous blog posts of interest such as this one on Improv and Anxiety.
I hope this has been useful and who knows, maybe dipping your toe in with these short online sessions might one day help you take the improv plunge!
Contact charlievmartin@gmail.com
Comments