an alarm and then tumble though the day with no real break, no real fresh air, no real perspective, no real pauses, no real grounding and then finally collapse exhausted at the end of the day. The first and simplest level of data interrupt is to take a break as often as you can during the day. Short, discrete, maybe even as little as five minutes. At the break get away from your desk, step outside if you can. Sip some water, look up and around. Stretch. Breathe fully and just notice what's happening around you. This simple grounding process is very powerful and is easy.
Level 2: The switch off. Once you can achieve a few of those during the day, the next level is the total switch off. Lunchtime would be good and certainly your evening when you get home. At lunchtime are you sitting at your machine and half doing a spreadsheet and half eating your tuna baguette? Leave the spreadsheet alone. Have an electron-free 45 minutes. Although of course it is nice to catch up on personal texts, even leave that for a while and take a walk.
Level 3: A simple breathing meditation. Try the following simple breathing meditation technique:
Sit easily and comfortably in an environment where nothing will suddenly disturb you and as close to quiet as possible. An upright chair is ideal.
Rest your hands in your lap, note the time on your watch or phone, close your eyes and take a slightly deeper breath.
Continue for around 10 minutes simply breathing easily and following the rise and fall of your breathing. When it comes to mind check the time.
At around 10 minutes, open your eyes slowly, stretch a little. Sit for a minute or two.
Slowly return to normal activity.
The Story
Marcus knows he's got to do something and data overload rings true so he starts doing two simple “nothing to be lost” things (he'd be the first to admit that he's a bit of a cynic …). Firstly, whenever he takes the train from his home in Brighton into the city, which he does two or three times a week, he now meditates during the first part of the journey. Initially he was just falling asleep but now finds it deeply relaxing and “comes out” of it surprisingly alert. He started with 10 minutes and now does 15. Secondly, at work he tries very hard to walk out of the building and around one block at least once every two hours. Working in Soho, it's an easy area for walking.
After a month or two of this, Marcus definitely has more energy. We're making progress.
The Q&A
I'm a call centre manager. How can I be seen to be taking a break?
Sure, the pressures in the business world at the moment are huge. However, are you going to wait until you fall over with exhaustion? Or have a nervous breakdown? You need a break and are due a break. Have the conversation with the relevant person and start investing in yourself: you'll be a better manager.
I find the meditations hard: I want to get up, move around. How do I really clear my head of thoughts?
Sitting quietly is very unusual for many people. If you feel restless, simply open your eyes for a moment to reassure yourself all is OK, then close your eyes and then follow your breathing.
The Solution
1. Realize that you are not a machine and that you cannot keep on the go 24/7.
2. To do so will introduce significant “stress” to your life.
3. That will play havoc with consistent and steady energy levels which most of us seek.
4. Decide to allow yourself some proper breaks, to have some “switch it off” time; and
5. Most boldly, try some formal meditation.
3
Exercise for Boundless Energy
The Challenge
We all know that when we exercise and feel fit not only do we have more energy we build reserves of energy. But it's not easy: exercise is disappearing from our daily lives whether it be less and less need to take the stairs or self-opening store doors. Fitness needs time. Often it needs money. And it certainly needs consistency.
The Detail
As you consider the details of your exercise programme you should ask: what does it need to contain and how do I make it successful?
What does it need to contain? A successful exercise programme will give attention to:
1. CV or cardiovascular. The area with which we are all familiar: the “puff and pant” bit and for most of us the most clearest indicator of our energy levels. Can you half run across Terminal 5, catch your plane and sit down without becoming a heavy breathing, perspiring wreck?
2. Resistance or weights. Often ignored as being not that important and often ignored by the ladies who are fearful of “building big muscle” (it needn't, by the way). Essential for strength and stamina as well as vital for bone health.
3. Balance and stability work. The human body undergoes a huge amount of wear and tear every day. So compare the grace of a young child who can move around a room or park in an apparent effortless manner and that of somebody 40 years on: it's not just that the adult is unfit, it's also that their body is no longer in balance.
How do you make it happen?
1. Everyday not just classes. The gym, exercise classes and even spending money on a personal trainer are wonderful components of your exercise programme but the biggest breakthrough is to make exercise part of your day. Walk when you can. Take the stairs when you can. Get out of that chair. Stretch and move when you can. Notice your posture when you sit. Take the advice from your classes and reading and wire it in to every day.
2. Make it a ritual. We brush our teeth because it is a ritual. It's not on a checklist, it's not on a motivational poster and yet it happens. Daily. Twice daily without fail. Could your exercise get to that point? Of course. One simple idea is to create some kind of simple programme you can do at home. Some stepping, some skipping, the use of a boxing bag. One or two dumb-bells and stretch mats. Keep them all in a box and get yourself to do 15 minutes every day: work up a sweat and get breathless. Supplement it with your classes or big gym sessions.
3. Think bigger than “this is wasting my time”. “I don't have time” is a regular blocker to stepping outside and doing 15 minutes skipping or heading off to the pool at lunchtime. Rather than playing games with excuses, give yourself a mindset shift. You may not have time but how much time do you lose every day by not having enough energy? How many evenings have you lost by feeling exhausted?
4. Start small and easy. Of course (especially if you're a bloke) you too would like to be able to bench press your own body weight. But don't do it first off. It's not just that you are likely to hurt yourself but if you wake up in 48 hours feeling totally wrecked you are much less likely to return to the gym. Demand something of your body sure, but no more than that. If the body is stretched, it will grow and develop to accommodate that challenge. That's all you need: not injury, nor exhaustion.
5. Get
