 |
| Photo courtesy of Microsoft It is often psychologically easier and more rewarding to tackle small portions of a project at a time. |
Many people
fulfill several roles in their daily life. They juggle the role of parent,
spouse or romantic partner, athlete, friend, etc., plus the myriad
responsibilities they fulfill at work. Sometimes it feels like a full-time job
to just keep track of who you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to
be doing at any given moment. Here are some suggestions to help you relax and
be completely “present” in whatever you are doing—no matter how much (or
little) time you spend in that role.
·
Square breathe. Draw a deep breath through the
nose and hold it to the count of four, then exhale through your mouth. As you
inhale, visualize, imagine, picture or pretend that you are inhaling calm, focus, patience and any word that
you associate with feeling powerful and in control. As you exhale, allow any
stress, frustration or negative energy or emotion that you identify in your
body.
·
Anchor this new sensation by pressing or rubbing
the thumb and index (pointing) finger of either hand. This action physically
“anchors” your subconscious mind to the calm, relaxed state of focused energy
that you will be able to access as you fulfill each role.
·
Prioritize what you need to do. Make a
list—mental or write it down—of what needs your attention. The first item
should be what needs to be done right
now. What is the next priority, and so on?
·
If a project is particularly complicated or
involved, break that big project into several smaller, more manageable
“chunks.” Even though the final project is the same, it is psychologically
easier—and more rewarding—to tackle small portions of it at a time.
·
Stay organized and on-task. Make sure that you
have all of the material(s) available and on-hand to achieve your goal or
complete your project.
·
Unless the project absolutely demands this kind
of contact or you are waiting for someone in your group to arrive, turn
off/silence your phone or computer. Technology makes our lives easier in many
ways, but the temptation to check for unrelated text messages or voice-mail and
browse the Internet for something-that-might-be-useful-but-is-actually-totally-unrelated to what you are doing, is almost always more distracting than
helpful.
·
Complete each task according to its priority before you tackle the next one!
Whether you are supervising a project at work, spending quality time
with your family or just chilling out with your friends, each activity will
place a specific demand on your attention and the time you spend doing...whatever.
It is important to dedicate as much time as you want or need to this activity,
but make sure that your focus is completely on that project. You, and whatever
you are doing or working on, deserve nothing less—and you will value the time
you spend focusing on this endeavor even more.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a
certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with
honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information
about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
