Breath is a Vehicle for Success — Are You in the Driver’s Seat?
Technology has revolutionized the business sector and we’ve begun to think that we can just hop on the tech train and operate at the pace of innovation. We can’t. Smartphones have been part of our lives for ten years now and this pace has become our new normal… but it’s not sustainable. Our brain was not made to work liked this and we’ve hit a tipping point. There’s frustration in the workplace.
Many entrepreneurs, executives, employees never stop during the day to take even a few deep breaths, unplug, close eyes, turn inward and recharge their own battery. Instead, the default seems to be fueling up on caffeine, ignoring the signs of mental fatigue and continuing activity with a low level of chronic stress that we accept as the way we do business today. Technology has been driving us; it makes us feel out of touch, guilty and uneasy if we aren’t up to the minute with status updates from business apps, email and news feeds. Does your hand automatically reach for the smartphone without even thinking about exactly what you need to know? Your brain is likely begging you to stop. It needs rest.
If your quads were sore from a spin class would you go right back for more? Muscles need to rest and repair and our brain is a muscle too. Athletes are great at working themselves to a point of exhaustion but they also spend time on recovery. It’s part of the healthy process of building stronger muscles. In business, many of us also work to a point of exhaustion but we don’t focus enough on the recovery part. Of course, we don’t feel the same type of muscle soreness when we overwork the brain but it shows up in the form of brain fog, anxiety, fear, impatience, lack of confidence. The good news: It’s never too late to retrain your brain and take control of your connected life.
Breath & Mindfulness techniques are the vehicle to stop the madness of monkey mind, reflexive phone checking and instead build stronger neural pathways where we connect our mind/body and build self-awareness to notice when we feel this mental “soreness.” Get back into the driver’s seat by becoming aware of your tech habits and being open to making small yet powerful changes with breath & mindfulness.
Consider these questions:
*Do you ever think about your thoughts, emotions, energy throughout the day?
*Do you feel more busy than productive?
*Do you ignore physical signs of stress? Are your shoulders attached to your ears most of the day? Is your jaw sore from clenching? Butterflies in your stomach?
Utilize breath as a vehicle to direct you back to a new normal, one where you nourish your brain and your body several times a day with unplugged rest. No need to master the art of stillness or reserve chunks of time, think of these short refresher sessions like restroom breaks. If you don’t take them, things could get ugly. It’s these little “Breath Breaks” that lead you toward more calm and clarity for better decision making, more effective communication for better leadership, positive energy for working with employees and colleagues.
Be the person that people want to work with. Be more present and patient. Breathe into success on many different levels. Take the wheel & drive into the slow lane for a few minutes. No better time than the present…Take a minute to close your eyes (after you’ve read these instructions), take three long, slow, deep breaths. Visualize clean, energizing oxygen coming in on the inhale and on the exhale let go of all the extraneous/negative thoughts and chaos in your head. Attach a positive intention to your breaths and...mean it. You’re brain will believe what you tell it. When you’re done, steep in the quiet, calm energy for just a minute.
Shallow breath doesn’t deliver all the nourishment your mind/body needs. There are many different breathing techniques (I share my favorites in “Breathe Like a Boss!” Workshops) but if you never (or rarely) change your breath patterns start with adding in three deep breaths throughout the day. Before you know it, you’ll have retrained your brain and you’ll be in the driver’s seat.
Schedule reminders on your phone for every three hours to stop, breathe and refocus on your goals, attitude and mindset. You’ll see and feel a difference in your energy immediately and others will too. You’ll become more calm, productive, energized, focused, successful and… happy.
You’re in the driver’s seat. Where do you want to go? Buckle up & Breathe!
