Three steps to self renewal

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins talked about the common characteristic shared by great leaders. They all modeled  servant leadership were mission driven. But the thing I found intriguing was that each of them also understood the value of being alone—finding ways to renew their inner supplies whether with family or at a favorite fishing spot.

During a visit to London during his presidential campaign, Barack Obama said to England’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown that having time away from all “this”…the media and constant press of people…must be critical. “It’s important to have time just to think,” Obama was reported as saying.

I’d take it a step further. I think everyone needs time just to be. Thinking often can turn to worrying or strategizing, particularly as your responsibilities increase. The challenge is that people who are most stressed are busiest and don’t have time to get away. So how do you benefit from the capacity-broadening, decision-improving benefits we know come with renewal when you have limited time? Look at time differently! Instead of thinking in terms of hours; think in terms of 10-minute units. Much can be done in those short chunks of time that equip you to handle the rough hours ahead.

And remember…the time to renew yourself is before you make the critical misstep of responding from depleted supplies of patience and tolerance. So…when you feel the walls closing in, take time to…

1.     Breathe. Breathing through your nose, inhale for three seconds and exhale for six. With a slight pause at the exhale, this should result in six breaths a minute, which research has shown may  lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular conditions. Military troops use this technique going into combat. That alone should convince you of the merit of deep breathing before the next contentious conference call or challenging meeting! It’s so simple. Watch the seconds tick by on your computer screen and take one minute for six breaths before you go to the second point.

2.     Visualize. Close your eyes and recall the sights, sounds and smell of your favorite place. From your desk, you can transport yourself to the mountains, the beach, or the memory of a loving embrace. Tap into your inner resources of beauty. Open your happy box.

3.     Do good. Take a ten minutes or less to commit a secret act of generosity…have a Starbucks card anonymously delivered to your receptionist; call your assistant’s day care provider and pay ahead for a month of child care; go online and donate $10 to a cause you believe in; send flowers to your significant other; buy two or three of something at the store (warm french bread is usually less than $2) and share one with a neighbor.

What do you do to renew? What little secrets can help lift the stress from the shoulders of a weary world?

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