(This blog was originally
posted on January 6, 2014)
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| Image courtesy of Microsoft |
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.
- 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?
- Chunk it down. Break the project into smaller, more manageable “chunks” if it is particularly complicated or involved. 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.
- Turn off/silence your phone or computer unless the project absolutely demands this kind of contact or you are waiting for someone in your group to arrive. 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.
- Prioritize. 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/.
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