How often do you use the phrases “snowed under”, “slammed" or “back to back” when describing your work day?
Are you constantly “fire-fighting"? (And if so, what is on fire? Are you setting people on fire? Should you talk to someone?)
Do you take a proper lunch break, regular comfort breaks, and stretch your legs? Or does a break mean jogging to the bathroom with half a sandwich wedged into your mouth in-between meetings?
For many, this is a typical day, especially for those in management and leadership positions. A relentless stream of calls, meetings and high-pressure deadlines. It’s called “busy-ness" for a reason, right?
The result? People carry from one task to the next a whole bunch of emotions, thoughts, feelings and ideas. And during the course of the day, this baggage builds up.
Ever sat in a meeting where it felt like no one was really there?
Or maybe there’s an inexplicably sad feeling in the room like someone’s just dropped an ice cream.
Recognise these symptoms?
- Negative body language
- Poor concentration
- Lack of engagement
- Erratic mood
- Tiredness
- Frustration
Often this is the result of baggage overload.
The Exercise!
A leader's presence can dictate the success of a meeting. How do the great ones, with their busy schedules getting slammed in back to back fire-fighting meetings (under snow!) still give their undivided attention, radiate calmness, actively listen, smile, and brim with positivity?
Through training, coaching and practice. But, there is an exercise that really helps, it takes 10 seconds and anyone can do it. An exercise to help park emotions, thoughts, feelings and ideas, allowing you to conquer the present meeting or task with energy, clarity and positivity.
A 10-second secret weapon that will rebalance, reset and refocus even the busiest of people.
It’s called the 10-second pause.
Doing this exercise at the beginning and the end of each task, in between meetings, travelling, or at home after work will help you with personal impact, presentation, controlling your emotions, clear thinking, decision-making and lower stress levels. It can even be done during a meeting or task when feeling knocked off balance.
The 10-second pause
- Put both feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap. Straighten your back.
- Breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose, to the count of five, expanding your abdomen as you do so.
- Breathe out slowly to the count of five, maintaining the spinal stretch that happened as you breathed in.
- Notice the weight of the stress, the negative energy, and build up of emotion leave your body.
- Let your breathing become natural and get on with the next task at hand.
Try to fit at least three of these into the busiest part of your day. You will find it easier to summon the energy for the next task and meeting.
A bonus, it will benefit your life outside of work too. Regular pauses prevent overstimulation that can lead to insomnia so it may help you sleep at night. Much healthier than a daily half bottle of Merlot.
Try this exercise and notice your performance improve in meetings and at work.
(Thank you John Perry for teaching me this technique.)