Written by Jason Whistler, Health & Wellness Expert
Jason Whistler is a leader in health, wellness and personal development and the founder of Yakushi-An wellness centers. He is dual, board-certified in Health & Wellness Coaching and Therapeutic Bodywork and has the distinction of teaching Ninpo Taijutsu for over 20 years.
Imagine you have a superpower that allows you to reset your mind and focus on only the highest priority and most valuable tasks at any given moment. You arrive at work and find the chaos of activity whirling past you at an incredible pace. From the moment a person steps through that office threshold, they are swept off their feet into the busyness. It's as if a raging whitewater rapid of activity traps each person within its currents, only to let them out at the end of the day, exhausted and beaten by the fight just to stay afloat and make it through to the end. Then there's you, like a person standing atop a rock, calm and collected, surveying your next move and planning your next step.
To all the people swept up in the torrents of activity, you appear as some form of genius. In reality, you are, because you specifically act and utilize this most ingenious of productivity hacks which is so simple anyone could do it, but no one does.
Who can use it?
Truly anyone, with a little practice, can utilize this skill to allow for greater productivity despite typical workday chaos, or any chaotic situation for that matter.
How does this productivity hack work?
Simply put, it allows a reset of the mind and the body simultaneously, much like a quick reboot of your computer. Within moments, the chaos within you slows and may even stop, which allows you to watch the activity around you with a bit of detachment and make clear observations about the next best step or task. Then you can mindfully place your attention upon that task until complete, or you are swept up in the chaos again, momentarily, before stepping out of it once more. Just imagine having clarity while surrounded by chaos and resetting both your mind's and body's stress response within just a few minutes.
What's it good for?
Most situations where the pace of activity is faster than you can comfortably and clearly think. When I was running my own manufacturing business, my coach at the time would refer to this type of activity as “fire fighting.” I came to recognize it even within corporate settings, where so many people were so busy jumping on the next super urgent critical catastrophe that no one seemed to have time to be proactive, let alone productive. It was in my last role as a leader within the IT department of an insurance company that I honed this skill to the point I was regarded as the “Zen guy,” simply because I rarely got wrapped up in the day's excitement even though I was fully involved in providing solutions.
What is it not good for?
This skill is best used once a truly dangerous and/or life-threatening moment has passed. I do suggest using this skill immediately after the danger has passed, even if it's just for a few seconds, so you can regroup and avoid additional potential dangers. For example, consider a wilderness survival event.
First, get clear of whatever hazard placed you within a survival situation, then gather yourself and devise your plan for rescue. For what it's worth, most survival experts also teach this skill; they just don't point out how truly useful it is in all areas of life.
What is it?
By now, I'm certain you are wondering what this skill is. I know I did the first time I saw this in action and wondered how that person could function so well when most of the people around them were drowning in their busyness.
I now teach this skill, “the intentional pause”, to all my clients and students because I've found over the years that this one act allows for rapid habit-breaking which accelerates their progress toward their stress management, weight loss, and chronic health recovery goals and eliminates the need for willpower. The bonus is it also creates a massive potential productivity boost!
How to do it
Stop what you are doing, whatever it is. Just stop, then you can focus for a moment on the one thing you can control in any situation... your breath. Keep your focus on your breath until it becomes like ocean waves drawing back and crashing in at their own steady pace. Notice the pace and activity of the moment swirling around you but not affecting you. Now look around at the situation in front of you and evaluate your priorities. From this space, create your plan and then step back into focused action. Repeat as often as needed.
I once heard this phrased in a way everyone thought it was a great joke, and I thought it was both brilliant and shocking enough to share so you never again forget this. Unfortunately, I've long since forgotten the source, but here it is, as I remember it:
“When you are so busy being busy that you don't have time for anything else, take a break.”
If you want one final, simple mantra to implement, here it is:
Stop, breathe, look/ listen/ feel, plan, act
Next steps
If you truly want to experience the power of this skill, pause as soon as you finish reading this line and set the intention to insert at least 10 pauses into each of the next 5 days. The easiest moment is when you are between tasks, like just before or just after a meeting. One of the best times to implement is when you are about to make a decision.
Read more from Jason Whistler
Jason Whistler, Health & Wellness Expert
Jason Whistler is a leader in health, wellness, and personal development, and the founder of Yakushi-An wellness centers. He is dual board-certified in Health & Wellness Coaching and Therapeutic Bodywork, and has the distinction of teaching Ninpo Taijutsu for over 20 years. With a deep understanding of bio-mechanics, health, and human potential, Whistler has developed strategies that significantly enhance physical and mental well-being. He has dedicated his life to helping others break free from pain and stress, enabling them to enjoy more ease, joy, and fulfillment in their lives. His mission: Empower individuals to achieve true life mastery.
