Kurt D. Bruckmann Sr. is a Master in Core Energy Dynamics being one of a few in the world. He provides the understanding of how our mind-body-energy connection operates delivering solutions for optimized outcome. Founder of Continuum Core Coaching and a Internationally acclaimed best selling author of "Ready Connect Grow" Anthology published 2023.
When we hear the word compartmentalize we tend to think of it in a negative draining connotation. No, it can bring us positive effects of energy in all we do! In this article we will discuss the understanding of how to apply compartmentalization in a filling anabolic means to bring us positive energy and outcome. This positive application brings us empowering growth when used in the appropriate manner both in thought and action. Let's discuss how we are able to embrace these positive aspects when we compartalize to our advantage.
Compartmentalize with positive effects
Compartmentalizing is the act of separating something into parts and not allowing those parts to mix together. Compartmentalizing information about the planning or execution of the action creates the ability to do so. As an example; someone who compartmentalizes tends to sort its different parts by keeping work life completely removed from recreation or family life.
Compartmentalizing is a valuable technique for managing stress and maintaining focus. It can improve your mental health and overall well-being. When used properly with combined emotional processing along with self-reflection it provides an increase in your core energy for desirable outcomes. It starts with being honest with yourself and applying self awareness with acceptance.
Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism that involves separating conflicting thoughts, emotions, or experiences into different mental boxes. It's a way to avoid cognitive dissonance which is the discomfort that arises when a thought or feeling contradicts another. You might compartmentalize one conflict to tackle another challenge. Compartmentalizing can be a form of emotional intelligence that helps you identify what's stressing you out and allow other factors in your life to stand on their own merits. It can be healthy when dealing with a difficult time.
Some may use compartmentalization as a negative coping mechanism, although it can be extremely helpful. It is when we have things we need to do but our current emotional state interferes with the task. This is when compartmentalizing is helpful in order to execute and be productive.
To compartmentalize healthily, it's crucial to remain self-aware with acceptance and willing to trust your process checking in with yourself often so you don't neglect to deal with people and situations which are important to you. It's also helpful to reach for other stress management tools.
Applying a compartmental mechanism is a strategy the psyche uses to avoid feeling anxiety, especially related to internal conflicts. With compartmentalization, the person separates feelings or thoughts that contradict each other into different compartments in order to avoid the cognitive dissonance that arises when a thought or feeling we have starts to contradict a different thought or feeling that we are also aware of.
Life is like a bicycle, in order to maintain balance you have to keep moving.
Compartmentalization in relationships
We may use compartmentalization in relationships if we are trying to manage cognitive dissonance related to our partner. While this can help us avoid minor conflicts that may not be worth fighting about in a long-term, committed partnership, it can be a real problem in courtship or dating.
The purpose of dating is to evaluate a potential partner to see if they are a good long-term fit for us. While we are getting to know someone we may learn things about them that we don’t like.
We can be motivated to eliminate the cognitive dissonance by taking the distressing thought or emotion and locking it away in a compartment which helps us preserve a positive image of the other person. This is often what people mean when they say “I ignored the red flags when I was getting to know them.” Typically, the person is not ignoring the flags, but rather compartmentalizing them. Keep in mind that this can happen in all relationships, including with friends and family.
Compartmentalization at work
The demands of work can also encourage compartmentalizing when we need to focus on being productive and block out personal stressors or distractions. People often feel distracted by personal thoughts or feelings they need to set aside to get work done. A way of compartmentalizing at work is by developing a strong understanding of our authentic self such as one’s work and home self. By applying this with courage we trust our process creating empowering self perspective.
Compartmentalization happens after trauma
Compartmentalizing can also be a defense mechanism used to manage traumatic experiences. Often after something traumatic has occurred a person has upsetting thoughts or feelings that are painful which can be compartmentalized so that they don’t have to be experienced as frequently. Another way that trauma survivors compartmentalize is by sealing away conflicting information about their trauma. If these experiences, associated thoughts and feelings are not processed therapeutically, they can be triggered into catabolic energy.
Compartmentalization as a health tool
Essentially, when we have things we need to do but our current emotional state interferes with the task, it can be helpful to compartmentalize that feeling temporarily in order to be productive. If done consciously and sporadically, compartmentalizing can be adaptive to facilitate productivity and better functioning.
We all have bad days on the personal front and need to be able to set those issues aside to perform. In our everyday tasks like work, it is important that once the work day is over we can return to the thoughts and feelings that we put into the compartment. If not they can be repressed and then tend to come out in other ways subconsciously, often with unintended negative effects. To compartmentalize healthily, it's crucial to remain self-aware, accepting, trusting the process and checking in with yourself often so you don't neglect to deal with people and situations important to you.
8 ways to practice compartmentalizing
Practice through visualization
Focus on one thing at a time
Recognize when you’re within yourself
Simplify what you’re working on
Write it down
Focus on what only you can control
Group everything you do with 100% of your core energy
Create time barriers
Benefits of compartmentalization
Stress reduction compartmentalization
Compartmentalization assists in managing your stress by allowing you to tackle one issue at a time and not be overwhelmed by multiple stressors. This approach can lead to a more balanced emotional state and improved emotional resilience in high-stress situations. Improved focus and productivity by shelving emotions, feelings, and thoughts you are not ready to address. You are able to concentrate better on other pressing tasks leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
This technique can be particularly beneficial if you live or work in a high-stress environment. Improved work-life balance happens with compartmentalizations allowing you to separate your professional and personal lives, preventing one from negatively impacting the other. By creating these mental boundaries you get to enjoy your relaxation time without being preoccupied with work-related stress.
Better decision making
With better management decisions it helps you make more rational and informed conscious choices by preventing emotions from clouding your judgment. Setting emotions aside temporarily allows you to approach problems with clarity and make choices based on logic and reason.
Draw your boundaries and prioritize
The first step is to draw your boundaries and prioritize. Establish clear boundaries between different aspects of your life and prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. This will help you stay organized and prevent different parts of your life from interfering with each other.
Schedule time for self-reflection
It helps to schedule dedicated time for self reflection Allocating time for introspection and emotional processing allows you to address underlying issues and maintain emotional balance.
You can do this by regularly engaging in activities such as journaling, meditation or talking with trusted friends and loved ones who can encourage your self-awareness and emotional healing. Compartmentalizing is a valuable technique for managing stress and maintaining focus. It can improve your mental health and overall well-being when used in moderation and combined with emotional processing and self-reflection increasing your core energy in all you do.
Read more from Kurt D. Bruckmann Sr.
Kurt D. Bruckmann Sr., Core Energy Dynamics Master
Kurt D.Bruckmann Sr. is a leader in the understanding of Core Energy Dynamics. As a child he experienced several untimely tragedies in the loss of his father and other family mentor figures. He turned to his teachings from them to embrace nature and its ever guiding lessons of continual growth while in a continuum of change. As his life evolved Kurt went on to build and establish his own company while becoming one of the world's top precious metals traders on the floor of the commodities exchange in World Trade Center. He is a two time survivor of WTC attacks. He delivers his expertise of energy as founder of ContInuum Core Coaching. Kurt teaches and guides people in understanding their core energy. "From Impossible To I'm Possible"
