Busy Department? Try This 2-Second Exercise And Feel a Little Lighter.
Do you ever have a moment where you're feeling a little stressed or overwhelmed on shift in the Emergency Department?
I know I do. I think a lot of us can relate to this feeling. Next time you're feeling this way, try taking just one mindful breath.
What does this look like?
For just two seconds, shift your focus to your breath.
Breathe in deep... notice how it feels... then return to your work. That’s all it takes.
It may sound too simple to be effective, but focusing on your breath is one of the most effortless forms of meditation that can make a substantial impact on your mood immediately. Each time you shift your attention to your breath, a little bit of overwhelm falls away. Don’t believe it? Try it.
Why does this work?
There are a multitude of studies that have shown that mindfulness has a lot of positive health effects, both in the immediate sense and for long-term health. But what if we don't like meditating? Or what if we don't have time when we’re stressed? The “One Breath” technique is an ideal answer for several reasons. First, it’s simplicity. It’s easy to say we don’t have time to meditate for ten minutes, but it’s impossible to say we don’t have time for one mindful breath. If we can commit to one breath a day, we make it so easy that we’ll actually do it, and we can preserve the momentum of making it a habit every day. Second, having the intention to meditate is in itself a form of meditation. It encourages you to bring attention to doing something kind for yourself. Over time, this self-directed kindness becomes valuable mental habit.
What inspired this blog post?
The inspiration for this post comes from the book "Tribe of Mentors" by Tim Ferriss. Tim reached out to a number of brilliant minds, and asked each them 11 questions about living a happier, more productive, more fulfilling life, and documented the answers in this book. One of those questions was, "What do you do when you feel overwhelmed or unfocused?" Among the hundreds of responses, there are themes of practices that many of these people turn to when they are feeling this way - Three of them include the concept of “Momento Mori”, body movement, and mindfulness.
