These five tricks help you handle crises better and tackle activities serenely.
Keep a CD in your computer
Pop on earphones and chill out, even for just a minute. Music can slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and inspire, energise or relax you.
Take a break from email
Talk to colleagues, or use the phone. Unlike email, talking allows you to notice facial expressions, helping you to connect more meaningfully with others.
Inhale peace
Sit quietly: slowly inhale, then exhale, relaxing your shoulders; repeat. Next, say to yourself ‘I am’ as you inhale and ‘at peace’ as you exhale. Feel a sense of peace settle around you.
See it happen
“Whether you think you will succeed or not, you’re right,” said Henry Ford. Before heading into a tough meeting, visualise yourself achieving a successful outcome, and hold that feeling.
Find a touchstone
It could be a water cooler or a plant – something that you walk by regularly. Imagine that every time you see it, it is telling you breathe, or to smile. Touch it as you pass. Psychologists call this technique ‘anchoring’, because it helps you stay focused.
