If You're Human, Then You Get Overwhelmed at Work. Like We All Do.
There's a great, simple breathing exercise that I've taught for decades. And you can do it with your eyes open, which means when you're feeling overwhelmed in a meeting (like when your colleague says something that just really upsets you), or when your boss does something that just leaves you speechless. You need to be able to calm yourself down.
This technique is very simple. It has three parts. I'll explain it, and then I'll run you through it.
The first step is to inhale, slowly through your nose, and count how long it takes to fully expand your lungs. Whatever that count may be (3, 5, 7…), you're going to hold your breath for the same count. And then slowly breathe out through your mouth, as if you're blowing on a birthday candle - but trying not to blow it out. You're going to blow out through your mouth for the same count. And when you've gotten to that count and your air is out, you go right back into the in-breath. And you start all over again. Breathing in through your nose, slowly counting. It may be a different number than the first time. It may be higher, it may be lower - it doesn't matter. It's not a competition with yourself. But whatever that count is, you're going to hold it and then breathe out for the same amount.
Let's do it. Let me run you through it. Though you can do this with your eyes open, just for now, let's do it with your eyes closed so you can really focus on these three parts.
Take a deep, slow breath through your nose, fully expanding your lungs, and you are counting. And then when you’re fully expanded, you're going to hold your breath for the same amount of time. Slowly breathe out through your mouth for the same count. Go right back into the in-breath. You're counting, holding for the same count, breathing out through your mouth for the same count. If your mind starts to wander, just gently bring it back to the count of the breath. Do this for one more rotation.
As you're finishing up, notice your body. What are your emotions? What are your thoughts? Notice the sounds around you.
Even when we practice this for 30 seconds or a minute, by getting conscious of our way of being, there's a great effect. This allows us to get out of our reptilian emotional brain, and be able to access our frontal lobe rational thinking, so we can be the great leader that we want to be.
Schedule a Complementary Team Audit https://TransformingExecutivePresence.as.me/
Gain unbiased insight during this professional 'listening session' with a 30 year veteran in leadership development, executive presence, and conflict resolution.
Comments