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Feeling Burnt Out and Blue? Take Action Now
When you are at the end of your tether you need changes that help you feel different quickly so that you can create mental space between you and your problem.
Luckily there is something so simple and yet so effective that you can do that is immediately. Also it doesn't need special equipment or that you remove yourself from the scene. What is it?
Breathing
Very few of us are aware of the power of focusing on your breathing can bring. Just being aware of your breathing as you read this changes your focus - doesn't it?
So whilst I have you thinking about your breathing, let's take it a step further. Wherever you are now sitting reading this, I want you to place a hand gently on your tummy area and just get familiar with the physical movement of your breathing.
I am asking you to place your hand on that area so that you start to breath deeply. So often we breath in a shallow manner and the only bits that move are the upper chest and shoulders. This kind of breathing will add to general feeling of anxiety, in fact, it is part of the cause.
As an additional demonstration to what I mean and for you to notice the affect. For a moment rest your hand on your upper chest and make your breathing happen there. You should notice that you have to pant and that doing so makes the experience of breathing entirely different - it's almost like creating panic, right?
Now take you hand back to the stomach area and continue exploring the different feeling you get when your breathing is happening from here.
As you get used to it let it slow right down, and take on its own rhythm. Maybe notice if you are holding an tension in your body, perhaps your shoulders or upper arms and decide on the next out breath to let go this tension. Just decided to soften those muscles. Maybe you hand can full softly into your lap now, whatever is comfortable.
Perhaps you can take one slow long breath now and let it out like a long, slow sigh and again use that sighing out breath to soften your body all over.
Now use as many out breaths as you feel you need to allow your body to totally relax.
Feel calmer now, more focused? How long did that take? Just a few seconds and you have by following a few simple instructions changed the state of your mind, haven't you?
Take Control, Bit by Bit
Knowing that now, how much more control could you gain in your life as and when you need it? Think about the times it would be useful to have a calm focused mind to help you?
The more often you use this simple technique of focusing for a few moments on your breathing the more powerful it becomes.
As humans, we learn by association and as your mind associates into the immediate calming affects a few moments quiet breathing, the more readily it will respond by clearing and creating mental space for you to create solutions to problems and take control.
Now if part of your problem has been deciding on what to do first from the million tasks you have on your mind, you can use this technique to help kick-start the taking control process.
If you find that typically the first few moments after you've spoken to boss about work, or after a stressful phone call, are the ones that send you into a tail spin of not knowing what to do next. Then for a moment don't do anything - just breath. Slow your mind down by slowing your breathing. Soft focus your eyes on an object near you or on the wall and let your mind clear.
This is not a waste of time - it is the most efficient use of your time in such moments. You need to get skilled in the ways of using your mind, and your mind needs clear space, uncluttered by unhelpful doom-laden thoughts. So just do it! As you breath more slowly and focus only on your breathing your mind is able to come to a solution or to explore the right sequence of actions needed.
Then when you're ready take action and only do that which you have decided to do. Working in this way creates the habits of concentration and focus.
You're allowing your mind to work as it was meant to and therefore you will begin to experience a sense of completion, of something achieved rather than something buzzing around in your mind needing to be done.
Developing this style of working creates confidence and builds your belief in your abilities. It is worth putting the effort in to doing this, so that it becomes the norm. Within a short period of time you will increase your productivity and your sense of achievement. Two attributes that are highly rewarded.
About the Author Liz Labrum, Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnosis is a writer and speaker specialising in Personal and Professional Success. Her latest e-book is Beat the Burnout Blues
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