The final days before Christmas can feel like a blizzard of activity. Hordes of panicked customers trying desperately to cross items off their Christmas lists make for crazy-busy work days and sometimes short-tempers. Management not so silently urging you to work even harder to make year-end sales quotas…not to mention trying to tackle your own mile long Holiday to-do list! Face it the countdown to the holidays can be stressful!
When you start to feel overwhelmed, take a quick time-out to refresh, recharge and re-center yourself. Here are a couple of short tried and true techniques from World of Psychology’s wonderful blog http://psychcentral.com
Deep Breathing:
Try to find a comfortable spot in a quiet area. The idea here is to quiet your mind and stay in the present moment. Sit up tall and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth to release. Notice your ribs expand while the rest of you remains still. Breathe deeply and slowly. Focus solely on your breath. If a thought tries to invade your mind, mentally push it aside for now and bring your attention back to your breath.
If this is hard for you, here’s a trick from me; practice what I call 4-square breathing. Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of 4, hold for a count of 4 then slowly release your breath through your mouth being sure to use the entire count of 4, hold a count of 4 and repeat. This technique is sure to help you get your Zen back!
Focus on your senses
The next time you’re at a coffee shop, make your focus a hot cup of coffee. Notice the sounds of the people around you, people talking, the steam from the cappuccino machine, the sound of whipped cream topping off a cup of cocoa. Notice the texture and colors of the cup your tasty beverage is in, the swirl of the creamer floating around the edge, the aroma from the coffee beans. Savor the warmth of your drink as it warms you from the inside out. Feel how the cup warms your hands. You get the idea.
Notice what it feels like to slow down and live in the moment. Life is not a race you run just to get to the end. Take the time to enjoy your stay on earth.
You can also boost your mood and reduce stress through the food you eat and the people you surround yourself with or even the music you choose to listen to. Do a little experiment to see what really makes you feel vibrant and alive! Make a habit of doing those things that make you feel good not just during the busy holiday season – but all year long.