WELLNESS TIP: Change Channels
Want a quick way to recharge, reduce burnout, and increase energy? Try changing channels! Often we feel zapped of our energy because we stay in one place for too long doing the same thing for hours on end. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to switch it up! There are three primary channels:
Cognitive: work that involves your #brain - solving problems, reading, writing.
Physical: work that involves #body movement - #exercise, running errands, organizing the house.
Emotional: activities where you exert a lot of emotional #energy - processing difficult feelings, listening to other people’s problems.
If you find that you’ve been doing something in one channel for too long without a break (> two hours), then take a quick 10 minute break and do something in one of the other channels during your break. If you‘ve been working at your desk, then during your break, try walking outside or listening to an uplifting playlist on your iPod. If you’ve been on your feet running errands, take a break by sitting down and perusing a magazine or watch a YouTube clip of a stand-up comedian. Or, if you find that you’ve had a very #emotional day processing complex feelings, then take a quick breather by working on a puzzle or doing some relaxing stretches outdoors!
Here I am stepping away from my office! I walked to a nearby cafe for a little time in the sun, hitting the physical channel by walking and the emotional channel by being outdoors. Did you know that the emotional channel is easily activated through music, pleasant visual stimuli, laughter, and nature? What’s your favorite go-to channel changer?