Friday, September 17, 2010

Reboot Your System

Most of us begin to slide downhill shortly after breakfast. Slowly at first but DOWN even so. Bad hair day. Ragged shallow breathing. Traffic jam. Clenched jaws. Cranky boss. Tight throat. High-pitched voice.

By lunch you feel like a giant knot with legs and a headache. Mounting tension makes you sound more like Minnie Mouse than your usual resonant self. Although this is a typical day for the typical professional, the gradual hour-to-hour build-up of physical, emotional and intellectual tension robs your energy, weakens your concentration and waters down your incredible business instincts.

You can find yourself weary and cranky with hours of grinding work still ahead. It is understandable that you go for a quick energy boost of a double espresso and a big chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately, sugar and caffeine jazz you up and then slam you down.

What we need is a true “reset” that quickly washes away the accumulated tension leaving you fresh for another few hours. It is important to return to “default” mode EVERY FEW HOURS. A true reset must be quick, portable and without side effects.
  1. Stand and stretch your body from stem-to-stern.
  2. If you are working under artificial lights, try to change your light source, even if only a couple minutes.
  3. Empty out your stale air comfortably. Take a few deep slow fresh breaths.
  4. Close your eyes and lay your palms over your eyes for a few moments.

There you are, good as new. Be well. Breathe beautifully.