Regular Breaks Sleep Breathe Boundaries Exercise Fact Not Fiction Resilience, the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, can help you deal with everyday demands and avoid stress. People who are resilient are healthier, more productive and enjoy greater career success. Taking a break can dramatically improve your ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods 3. Use regular breaks to stretch and move around, re evaluate your priorities and nurture work relationships. Clear work boundaries are key to productivity. Write down what’s on your mind before you leave work. Avoid checking work email, but if you can’t, try not to respond automatically. Make sure your evening includes enjoyable activities. Next time you are stuck in a queue, relax and breathe deeply. When we are stressed or anxious we tend to breathe shallowly from the upper chest. Allow your breath to fill your lungs and expand your stomach and you will rebalance your central nervous system, slow your heartbeat and stabilise your blood pressure. When we feel stressed we release chemicals designed to disrupt our sleep. Instead of beating yourself up if you can’t sleep, try to relax and make yourself comfortable. Listen to relaxing music, turn off technology and avoid caffeine and exercise close to bedtime. Regular Breaks Getting out into the daylight boosts vitamin D and serotonin levels. Arrange to meet someone for a walk instead of a coffee. Sleep Breathe Boundaries Exercise Fact Not Fiction Confidence Boost Our thoughts strongly influence our moods and emotions. Many of us have a powerful internal critic. Make sure your thoughts are based on facts rather than fiction. When you respond to a situation try to choose a response that is helpful to you and your mood. Before your next presentation or interview practice a high power pose 4 – hands on hips, chin up, and chest out. Within minutes you will experience a 20% increase in Testosterone and a 25% decrease in Cortisol. Manage Mindfully Lead by Example Brain cells called mirror neurons mean that the state you exhibit will impact on the state of your team. Think about what state you need to be in to get the best from your team. Be fully present when dealing with others. Listen closely to what they say and, importantly, do not say. Watch out for statements like “I must…” Use questions such as “What is most likely to trip us up?” to encourage people to talk about their fears.