Most people are on a quest to increase their productivity in order to do less and achieve more. Tips on how to organize your passwords, instructions on how to handle e-mail, advice to take creativity breaks, and information on how to apply Stephen Covey’s four-quadrant matrix are examples of advice that can help you become more productive.
However, the most important productivity tool that exists is your mind, and your moods have a powerful effect on your mind’s ability to function efficiently and effectively. Therefore, one of the most important things you can do to increase your productivity is learning how to self-regulate your moods. Fortunately, your body is fully equipped to help you do just that. Below you will find seven ways to help you self-regulate your moods.
1. Breathing
Since breathing is something we can easily control and regulate, it’s a useful tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind. Andrew Weil, M.D.–a world-renowned pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing approach which encompasses body, mind, and spirit–, advices the following: “Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems.”
One of the breathing exercises that he recommends is the 4-7-8 or Relaxing Breath, a natural tranquilizer for your nervous system. Simply place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. Then follow these steps:
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. In addition, exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation.
2. Massage
Giving yourself a massage is another great way to elevate your mood. Deepak Chopra, an internationally recognized expert on the mind-body connection, is a big proponent of self-massage for mood regulation. He indicates in his book “Grow Younger, Live Longer”, that a massage gives you access to your inner pharmacy, and a slow, calming massage releases natural relaxing chemicals. You should gently massage your scalp as if you were shampooing your hair; then apply oil to your forehead, cheeks, chin, and ears; slowly massage the back of your ears and your temples; also, massage your feet.
3. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
This is basically an emotional version of acupuncture, except needles aren’t used. Instead, you stimulate energy meridian points on your body by tapping on them with your fingertips. It’s very easy to learn and very effective in helping you to release any negative emotions you may be feeling and altering your mood. You can get the EFT manual for free at www.emofree.com, and there are several videos on YouTube that show basic EFT routines you can use.
4. Laughter
Nature has provided yet another way to help activate your relaxation response: laughter. Over the past several years countless studies have been conducted that show the positive effects that laughing has on one’s physical and mental health. Laughter is one of the body’s best coping mechanisms for the normal stress of life, and is also conducive to increased problem solving abilities and creativity. Pioneers in laughter research–such as Dr. William Fry of Stanford University–have documented the many benefits associated with a hearty laugh, such as the following:
- Laughter decreases stress hormones in the body such as cortisol and adrenaline.
- When we laugh our bodies release hormones and chemicals that have positive effects on our system.
- Laughing raises your mood; joyfulness through laughter is the fastest way to create a positive state of mind.
- When used in conjunction with conventional care, laughter can reduce pain and aid the healing process. Norman Cousins, a prominent political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate, details in his memoir, “Anatomy of an Illness”, that after being diagnosed with a painful condition called ankylosing spondylitis he would watch Marx Brothers films to help him ease the pain. He reported that 10 minutes of laughter allowed him up to two hours of pain-free sleep.
5. Music and Sound
Music and sound can also be used to help you change your mood. In “Writing the Mind Alive”, Laura Trichter Metcalf and Tobin Simon explain that Baroque music—such as Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Pachbel’s “Canon”–has been shown to synchronize brain waves at about sixty cycles per second, a frequency associated with increased alpha waves. In turn, alpha is a frequency of mind associated with relaxation. In addition, you can refresh yourself with the gentle whisper of a white-noise machine or a table fountain.
6. Stretch
Your physiology has an enormous impact on your mood. Stretch; by relaxing tense muscles you will improve your mood. Lean your right ear down to your right shoulder and elongate the left side of your neck at the same time. Now do the same on the other side. Next, look down and drop your chin towards your chest. Then slowly allow your head to roll to the right and then to the left. Repeat these exercises gently until you feel yourself losing up.
Raise your arms; interlace your fingers over your head with your palms facing downward. Inhale and raise your arms upward with your fingers stills interlaced; then exhale and release. Turn your torso to the right and to the left as far as you can. Try a few shoulder circles as well.
7. Exercise
Go out for a jog or a brisk walk. Studies show that one of the quickest and surest ways to boost your mood is to exercise. Physical exercise helps your body to release stress hormones, generates endorphins, increases levels of serotonin, and balances the brain.
Conclusion
Although many people feel that they’re hapless prisoners to their moods, your body is equipped with feel good hormones and other chemicals which you can easily tap into in order to quickly alter your mood. Using your inner pharmacy to elevate your mood is fast, easy, and inexpensive. In addition, a calm mood will put you in the ideal state of mind to be able to function in an efficient and productive manner so that you’re free to create and get through the items on your to-do list.
Written by Marelisa Fabrega who blogs at http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com.
Increasing your productivity; First you have to be excited about what you are doing in the first place. If you are not stocked about the project, its going to be long way coming and frustration till you are finished.
Block in the time for it. Work on it for a specific amount of time. Set a stopwatch and don’t stop until the timer goes off. 1 hour or 2 hours. Non stop.
These two helped me greatly. Things list like breathing, EFT and massaging yourself will not do anything to increase your productivity. That’s just fluff.
Hi Authentic Alex G.: There are probably about a million different ways to enhance your productivity. This article simply focuses on the fact that your mood can either help your productivity or hinder it, and that your body’s chemistry can help you elevate your mood. I for one find that when I’m in a calm, relaxed mood I’m much more productive, and the tips that I share here are some of the things that I do to get calm and relaxed. Scientists are now studying how “fluff” such as laughter can improve health, raise your mood, reduce pain, make you more creative, reduce the amount of sick leave employees take, and so on.
It’s great to see you here, Mare!
I love your tips on how to relax our minds and bodies as a pre-cursor to achieving productivity in our daily life.
A good stretch is often just the thing to get my blood rushing to set me up for the day. I also enjoy massage, and would like to find a reputable practitioner in my area with whom I could go regularly.
Nothing eases tension like a professional and therapeutic massage.
Hi Scott: I try to get a professional massage about once a week. Also, I’ve been doing a lot of research on the effect that laughter has on the body and it just amazes me that we come with a built-in mechanism to immediately release stress and elevate our moods. We’ve become so high-tech that sometimes we don’t pay attention to all of the great tools we innately come with.
Another hugely important mood enhancer is dancing. Not only does it make you feel great, it actually extends your life and helps prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia. See my post about that at “Wanna Live Longer? Dance!” at http://shanelyang.com/2008/05/22/wanna-live-longer-dance/
Then, of course, proper diet is key. Extended water fasting detoxifies your entire system and is the natural way to many diseases and health problems that modern science just can’t. I chronicle my own 10-day fast and 5-day post fast starting at http://shanelyang.com/2008/07/03/fasting-log-day-1/
I also expect to live to 120 lbs. through regular extended fasts and by improving my diet a little bit each time. This was only my second one and I was able to quit alcohol and switch to a mostly raw food diet afterwards!
The heightened mental clarity and extra energy from fasting and from a cleaner diet have to be experienced to be believed! Imagine the things you could get done!
Hi Shanel: Dancing is also a great mood enhancer, and one I use all the time.
I find that my diet has a bit effect on my mood and my productivity. If I eat too much wheat/sugar, I don’t sleep, I ache, I fall asleep at the computer, I’m super cranky, and the last thing I want to do is work.
Plus I forget that the rest of the world exists which causes no end of domestic turbulence as well.
I try to remember to do all those things you suggest and when I do – wham! I’m productive. It’s like golf – if you can hold in your mind (but not actively) all the little things that make up a great swing the ball sails through the air.
Hi Alex: The food that you put in your body does have an enormous effect on your level of energy and on your mood. I used to eat a lot of sugary foods and I found it made me short-tempered.
Great article. I agree completely that you have to start first with your mind. It is your best and most important tool. Getting my mood set for the day makes a huge difference in how much I get done and how I handle the challenges and interruptions that happen in everyday business.
Shanel- Love the dancing post. I do really goofy dances sometimes when I’m stressed. I can’t help but laugh and my body feels so much better when I’m done
Hi Melissa: I find that when I’m a good mood I’m extremely effective and efficient, but when I’m in a lousy mood I can’t get any work done. Going for a jog helps me, as well as looking for a funny video on YouTube, doing a quick round of EFT, giving myself a foot massage, or stretching. If I’m in a really bad mood I do all of these things.
Thanks for the link to the EFT manual, Marelisa. I had heard EFT mentioned several times before, but I didn’t really know how to get started.
Hi Hunter, You should definitely try EFT. If you measure how you feel before and after a tapping session you really notice the difference.
Great post Marelisa, thanks! There were a couple of things there like EFT that I’m not using and am going to check out. I think it’s important to have various techniques, tools in the kit bag as, in my experience, some things will work better, more quickly than others in a given circumstance.
Cheers
Simon
Simon, Thank you and I agree, the more tools you have at your disposal, the better. And different things work better under different circumstances.
Love the post! We all need to care for ourselves to lead a more productive life. I find meditation of various sorts really calms my mind and refreshes me, so I’m better able to handle lifes ups and downs.
@Overcoming Lifes Obstacles: Thank you. I learned to meditate about ten years ago by using the Silva System. It has helped me immensely!
“You must become aware of everything you are feeling all the time. Continuously scanning your energy system and the accompanying thoughts, moment by moment, is emotional awareness. Emotional awareness means relaxing into the present moment even when it contains painful emotions. Intimacy means trusting that the universe will provide what you need, when you need it, and in a manner most appropriate for you.” – Heart of the Soul
There are hundreds of ways to be more productive but I do believe that getting your mind into it is really the most effective.
Being passionate is absolutely critical! It would be great if we could be in a position like “If we’re not passionate about it, don’t do it”…
But again, passion is in the mind so thanks for the really good and helpful post Marelisa!
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