When you feel any of the below, do you consider what actions you take to help yourself?
- Tired
- Sad
- Unable to focus
- Angry
- Anxious or Nervous
- Overwhelmed
- Unmotivated
If you have considered what you need to do, do you actually ‘allow’ yourself to do it?
If you’re like me, you give the best advice and/or ask the right questions to enable others but are not always the best at practicing what you preach. In my case, running a small business has a never-ending to-do list so there’s good reason to apply ‘time-out’ and to look after my head. It can be especially challenging when life is throwing lots at you and it’s usually the ‘small stuff’ that adds up. There’s always something that needs to be done. Right?
Wrong!
In a Neuroscience article that I read recently*, researchers provided evidence that different activities do support and may even be necessary for effective cognitive functioning. Walking, for example, supports cognitive performance.
The even better part of this research is that it’s actually quite simple!
If, for example, you’re stuck on a problem, the solutions just aren’t coming to you, your creative juices have temporarily stopped flowing or you have a bit of ‘brain fog’…. get up and do something else …. walking in this case!
I start every day with a dog walk, come rain or shine. Our little ‘Pip-meister’ is a good reason to do that although I’m always delighted to see how many other people, without the dog excuse, are out and about walking. I also love that most people smile and say hello. A warm smile goes a long way towards feeling good.
So how can you apply this to help yourself and others?
If you’re a manager, think about ‘walk and talk’ meetings. On occasions, these may prove to be more fruitful and help to remove some of the ‘brain fog overload’. Role model taking a break from your laptop, meetings, etc. Demonstrate that it’s ok, in fact essential, to take a break and allow your brain to have some downtime. The key is to do it, not just talk about it, and this research shows the positive effect on cognitive function.
It is undoubtedly easier to walk at this time of year, but to quote an influential person in my life (my hubbie), “Skin’s waterproof!!”
What steps (excuse the pun) are YOU going to take to help yourself and, perhaps, others who you work with? We asked the following question to a few people. The responses showed some common themes.
What do you do when you feel the following emotions?
Tired: take a nap, cut screen time, eat good food, get out into the fresh air
Sad: listen to uplifting music, go for a walk, talk to good friends
Unable to focus: cut screen time, go for a walk, do something else unrelated to work
Angry: exercise, go for a walk, get into nature, find some solitude/tranquility
Anxious or Nervous: meditate, take deep breaths, listen to calming music, go for a walk
Overwhelmed: take a break/do something completely different, go for a walk, do some exercise
Unmotivated: understand my values better and set myself small (inspiring) goals, take some time out to think.
It really is that simple! Give it a go or get in touch if you want to learn more about understanding your values, beliefs, how our minds process information and developing great communication skills. In the meantime, go and enjoy a walk!
This article is linked to pre-adolescents but it’s one of many that highlights the benefits of exercise and attention. It’s interesting stuff (for all ages). Read more at https://lnkd.in/gHtZD3rD