Lots of us are scrambling in September. If you live in the world of government funding, you are likely rushing to finish things before the grant or project ends. To make sure there is work for your team in October. To plan what to do if there isn’t.
Even if that isn’t your world, there is still enjoying the last warm days, making sure that school is on track for the kiddos, and dealing with the day to day uncertainty that has been 2025.
It is hard to be present, to not worry. But here is the thing, planning is one thing, worry is another. It takes up too much space to make good decisions and sucks the enjoyment out of everything.
Here are three things to stop the cycle. They sound small. That’s the point – who has time to for long and hard? Small but they work.
- Box breathing. Take a deep breath. A real one – put down your shoulders and breath deeply into your torso. Count to four while you do it. Hold for four. Exhale four. Hold for four. Repeat. It takes two minutes to do this three times, the counting distracts your brain and the deep breath tells your vagus nerve you are safe.
- Go for a walk. Outside for 10 minutes or less. Feet on the ground. Look around you. What do you see? Any nature? Take that in. Again, moving and looking give your brain something else to do.
- Take 8 minutes to talk to a friend. Really, 8 is enough.