Improve Performance by Taking it Easy

Whatever you are doing and wherever you are going, remember that time out for yourself is of paramount importance. In our current society, it is often difficult to find ‘breathing space’, but it is essential to our wellbeing and to our performance. In fact, recent studies have shown that breaks of only a few minutes per hour improve our performance by up to 20% - so imagine what half an hour would do!

Think about it. If we're constantly on the move and never rest, we cannot perform at our best and often miss opportunities. You wouldn't expect your car to keep going constantly on full throttle and never stop to refuel, but that's what we often seem to expect of ourselves.

Taking a step back, helps us to clear our minds and rest our bodies – and it's often during these moments of peace that our best ideas and inspirations come.

Not only that, but research from leading US faculties has shown that meditation has hugely beneficial effects on our hearts, circulation and general health. Many people think of meditation as being somewhat 'hippy' or think they don't know how to do it. However, there are no rights and wrongs and there are numerous ways to meditate. You probably often do it subconsciously, for example, when you're daydreaming or when you're deep in thought.

Meditation can be sitting cross-legged in a candlelit room, but it can be done when you take a lunchtime walk in the park, in the bath or even sitting at your desk with your eyes closed!

When you next walk outside or when you're sitting on a train or in the bath, think about all the good things that have happened and are happening to you in your life today. That's a form of meditation and a very valuable one at that, as it helps us train our minds to think positively.

Of course there are times when we feel that not much is going right, but it all depends on perspective. For example, if you've eaten a good meal in the past 24 hours, had a shower (and therefore access to clean, running water), used the loo, been allowed to travel and speak freely, can read and write etc, then you're better off than a lot of others in the world. It's worth remembering these things - and you're meditating.

If you only have 15 minutes at lunchtime, take your food outside and sit in a nearby park or take a walk and appreciate everything around you. Close your eyes perhaps and concentrate on your breath as if you were noticing it for the first time. What does it sound like, where does it go in your body? Does it have different qualities on the way into your body and when it leaves? What movements can you experience when you breathe? This too, is a form of meditation and is extremely beneficial in maintaining healthy levels of stress and good health generally.

You can also use meditation to help you achieve goals, to improve your moods and outlook on life and to improve your health.

You"ll find, if practiced daily, that meditation helps you think more clearly, feel more positive and healthy and brings numerous insights. Make it a priority every day, to take at least ten minutes out for yourself and really let go.  You’ll be surprised by the benefits.

About Annie Lawler

Annie runs Breathing Space Therapies and helps her clients get back in the driving seat & to make the right choices to lead happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives, through positive and proven stress management techniques.  She offers 1-2-1 coaching & counselling, 'Quick Fix' half-hour sessions, deep relaxation CDs to address phobias, anxiety & health issues, seminars, & holistic therapies.