4 Tips I Used To Keep My Calm.

4 Tips I Used To Keep My Calm.

Gretchen Rubin

Bestselling author; Blogger

I felt rattled.

I found out I made a mistake in something I wrote. It was fixed, but it always rattles me to discover that I made a mistake.

I found out I have to review a document in a short period of time. It won't be hard, but it always rattles me to have a short deadline. (One reason I've never been a journalist: I hate deadlines.)

There have been some changes to our family schedules. Nothing major, but it always rattles me to have to juggle the calendar.

I realized I was rattled, and instead of allowing myself to become short-tempered (highly likely), I ran through some of my easier tips for staying cool.

1. I took ten minutes to clean up my office. Getting paperwork under control makes me feel more in control of my life generally.

2. I made a list. Now I don't have to worry about forgetting something important, plus I get the morale-booster of being able to cross off items.

3. I took a few minutes to be silly with my family. Acting light-hearted makes me feel more light-hearted, and seeing them in a good mood lifts my spirits.

4. I exercised. I always feel calmer when I exercise. In fact, that's probably the main reason I exercise. (Here are some tips if you have trouble prodding yourself to exercise.)

How about you? What strategies do you follow if you need to calm yourself down–in a hurry?

Edited by: Lawyer Asad