Productivity Coach’s Corner: The Mind-Body Connection

How can you stress a little less at work? Slow down, breathe, and visualize something you look forward to.

Studies show 8 out of 10 Americans feel stressed during the workday. How can you stress a little less? Slow down, breathe, and visualize something you look forward to.

That is, fill your mind with one thing, not everything!

Step 1: Breathe Better

Sit up a little straighter and distribute your body weight so you’re comfortable. Notice where your body is tight. Notice your breathing. Don’t change anything, just breathe. Now, change it up. Take a long, slow breath in, hold your breath for a few seconds, and blow out intentionally. (Note: Don’t worry about how long… the goal is only to be more aware of your breathing!)

Step 2: Visualize Relaxation

Next, open your notebook to a blank page. On top, write, “My Next Vacation,” and then capture at least 10 line’s worth of ideas, hopes, and plans for the next vacation you have scheduled. Don’t have one scheduled? That’s OK, do it anyway as if you did!

In all, these two activities should take you less than 300 seconds. Now, do you feel a little less stressed?

Dr. Jason Womack
Dr. Jason “JW” Womack is a strategist and executive coach who advises leadership teams operating in complex, high-consequence environments. He works inside organizations to strengthen the conditions that determine performance. How leaders interpret signals. How standards translate into behavior. How decisions align across functions and time horizons. Drawing from psychology, sociology, and systems theory, Womack focuses on the structural dynamics that shape coherence, accountability, and sustained execution. He is the author of multiple books on leadership and performance, available at: https://www.amazon.com/Jason-W.-Womack/e/B005N3257A