Episode 126 - Take Brain Vacations at Work
Do you have a high pressure job? Don’t let it make you explode!
Lou Ann Hyder, a healthcare worker in Lexington, KY, recommends that to reclaim your sense of calm and balance, you should take 3 vacations – right at work. Lou Ann writes, “On days I feel particularly overwhelmed and stressed, I take three times during the day, one to two minutes each, and think of a pleasant memory or experience. For example, I’ll bring back an extremely pleasant memory of vacationing in Seabrook, SC, or a particularly funny statement my 7 y.o. might of said at the supper table last night. This is a wonderful way to get away from it all if only for a few minutes.”
I say, Lou Ann’s got a smart idea. I call these brain vacations and they are a great way to untangle the stuff in your head that makes you feel stressed. To make it work, tell yourself you are going a relaxed zone. Give yourself the OK to leave your present challenges. Then just lean back in your chair or against a wall, close your eyes and let yourself mentally go to another place. Take a couple of deep breathes and get absorbed in your thoughts as though you were physically there. Your body and mind will relax. Enjoy the pleasant mental sensations. It only takes a minute or two — and the end result? You could feel more re-energized than if you took a real vacation.