Keep That Calm Feeling

Festive break is over: how do you keep that calm feeling?

Many of us have gone back to work today.  After the long festive break, you will be adjusting back to the relentless pace of business or the demands of running a family.

Stress resides not in the mind but in the nervous system. Our ‘fight or flight’ response raises your cortisol level causing the sympathetic nervous system to activate. Your body is designed for a raised cortisol level but only in short bursts to aid your survival. However, in our modern ‘always on the go’ life style, many people live with chronic raised cortisol levels leading to slow digestion, sleep disruption and other side effects.

Rest and relaxation reduces your cortisol level.  Some will have achieved this in the long festive break, but the question is:

How do you maintain an appropriate cortisol level once you are back in the flow of life?

Taking a break of not less than 15 minutes has a big impact on your cortisol level.  These breaks can and should be simple such as a walk, a coffee and a magazine, sitting in a park, taking a bath, listening to some music.  All of these breaks should be discrete and separate.  There is little value in a break where you spend the entire time worrying about a problem.

The aim of the break is to slow the mind, for calmness to arrive which then allows the body to relax. 15 minutes is all it takes. Try to decide where and how in your day you would get the most value from it.

Your concentration will improve which will increase your effectiveness and efficiency at work and at home, well worth the 15 minutes.

Be kind to yourself – learn to relax