One of the problems I see the most working on stress resilience in the corporate world and with entrepreneurs, is dispersion of attention; the reduced capacity to be present with what we are doing.
We are so used to being distracted that it seems like a detail, but is not.
Distraction of the mind, or lack of presence, is a habit that is draining our energy. Because when we are distracted we usually create beta waves that are the ones that required the biggest amounts of energy to be produced.
We are also disconnected from the people we are interacting with, thinking that we should be at work when we are at home, and that we should be at home when we are working, for example.
In a world where our attention is demanded everywhere, every second, bombarded by all sorts of messages that affect our identity and how we see the world, our mind is being trained in the tendency to wander, and that takes away our power to gain depth in our work and relationships, connect ideas, make better decisions and relate to others from a stable serene place. A wandering mind basically puts us in survival mode. Making us feel somehow that the world is not a safe place to leave in. The world meaning our relationship to work (boss, colleagues, etc) or in our private life.
A Harvard University study led by psychologists Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert found that we spend about 47% of our waking hours thinking about what isn’t going on. With our mind wandering and not focused on what we are doing.
The study also established that "a wandering mind is an unhappy mind". Because usually it is a detrimental self-talk what takes the mind over in those wandering moments.
“Mind-wandering is an excellent predictor of people’s happiness,” “In fact, how often our minds leave the present and where they tend to go is a better predictor of our happiness than the activities in which we are engaged,” says the study.
Where to start?
Your breath is one of the best and easiest ways to start training your attention and bringing it to the present moment. The more you become aware of your breath and you learn how to use it as an anchor, the more you become present, more productive and happier.
Did you know that the respiratory system is the only one in the body that we can voluntarily affect on the spot? And it’s the one that has the most immediate impact on all the others. Especially on the brain and mind. That’s one of the reasons why I see such success in the lives of the people I work with. Mindset, focus, plus breathing is an efficient combination.
Add to that all the benefits that breathing optimally brings to you (see some of them below), :
Enhanced mental clarity: Optimal breathing improves oxygen supply to the brain, boosting cognitive function.
Reduced stress: Deep, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and taking you from survival mode to restorative co-creation mode.
Improved physical performance: Optimal breathing increases oxygen delivery to muscles, enhancing stamina and endurance.
Better sleep quality: Optimal breathing techniques can help regulate sleep patterns and improve restfulness.
Boosted immune function: Optimal breathing supports better circulation and oxygenation, strengthening the immune system.
And so much more…
If you want to learn how to breathe optimally download my Breathing Leap app on your phone. The Optimal Breathing course is free and short. It will give you the basics of good breathing and help your mind to start training on grounding and presence. The rest is only continual practice. See you there!