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Imagine Calm in Your Life – Purposely Put in Pockets and See What Happens

14th April, 2010 - Posted by Meggin - No Comments

Do you ever run around like a chicken with your head cut off? Or maybe you would describe your behavior as acting like your hair is on fire? Either way, it’s not a good look!

If you use consciously and deliberately put in “pockets,” that is, the special protected spaces that give your room to breathe, space to think, margins for error, you will see immediate differences. Consider these possibilities:

Imagine not feeling rushed ALL THE TIME.

Imagine not running around like your hair is on fire all the time.

Imagine not snapping at people – at work or at home, because you are completely overscheduled.

Imagine arriving early (so you NEVER have to apologize for being late – which immediately puts you in a defensive space).

Imagine being able to stop and talk with students instead of mowing them down as you zoom through the halls and across campus.

Here are additional possibilities to consider:

What if you run into someone at the local coffee place who is a key constituent – and you can actually comfortably chat with that person without appearing antsy and anxious?

What if you could just sit and hang out with one of your children instead of telling them, “hurry up, hurry up, hurry up.” If you are a parent, here’s something that Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls said, “One important reason to stay calm is that calm parents hear more. Low-key, accepting parents are the ones whose children keep talking.” Imagine that. To continue…

Imagine feeling good about meetings and appointments instead of dreading them and wishing they would cancel?

Imagine the sense of accomplishment as you do work that you are proud of – partly because you had a pocket of time for checking what you are doing and making sure it fulfills expectations.

Imagine….

Truly, if your goal is to stay positive, regardless of whether others around you are freaking out and going nuts, use your planner and strategically, consciously, and deliberately put pockets of time (maybe 5 minutes or maybe 5 hours) around your scheduled appointments. This will lead to a calmer and more centered you…and a calm and centered person can stay positive – even when others are…you know…freaking out.

Here’s a special quote for you – and I have this posted near my desk. I hope it is also helpful in reminding you about calm…and why you want to get and stay in a calm state. Protecting your time pockets for the reasons shared in this article are worth your mindful consideration.

Fear cannot be banished, but it can be calm and without panic; it can be mitigated by reason and evaluation. ~ Vannevar Bush

And if you would like numerous tools for staying calm and positive, feel free to go to:

** http://stayingpositiveinafreakedoutworld.com/Materials.php

(c) 2010 Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D. | The Ph.D. of Productivity(tm)