Feeling Overwhelmed? Try this simple exercise to reactivate the senses and feel calmer and more grounded as a result.

Very often in our modern world, that sense of overwhelm can come on before we even realise it and paralyse us in our thought pattern and our ability to problem solve or be productive in whatever it is we are trying to achieve. This simple exercise can be done anytime anywhere and will help to reground and reset you so that you can think more clearly and be more productive in your day.

It can be carried out at anytime of the day and can be do anywhere either sitting or standing. My own preference is to do it early on in the day, sitting on the local park bench or walking slowly in the park. We all have 5 senses, sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. What we are attempting to do is to separate them out so that we can experience each one individually.

To start off, take 4 or five long slow breaths in and out through the nose. Move your attention to your sight. Switch off any noise you can hear around you and really focus on what you can see around you. What colours strike you? what objects? You may notice little dots of colour here and there that you may noticed before. If you are out in nature, maybe you spot a small flower in among the greenery, or lots of different shades of green. Notice all the colours around you. Stay focussed on the visual for another minute.

Now drop your gaze and if you are in a seated position, you may like to close your eyes. Bring your attention to your hearing. Listen deeply. What can you hear? Firstly listen to any nearby sounds, the birds? the humming of your laptop or desktop if you are in your office, voices. Now listen for distant sounds. Traffic in the distance, the wind etc. really tune in and listen. Now allow your focus go to your inner ear, can you hear any buzzing in the inner ear? Stay focussed of all sounds for another minute.

Next move form sounds to smells. What can you smell? If you are in nature, what fresh scents are around? Maybe you can smell your own perfume or aftershave, maybe its the smell of dampness in the morning air. Focus on any surrounding smells for a minute. Now switch off the smell and move to taste. What can you taste in your mouth? You might like to move your tongue along the front of your teeth and the roof of your mouth. Can you taste the morning coffee or toothpaste? Take in all the tastes you can sense in your mouth and stay focused on this for another minute.

And lastly what can you feel? Can you feel the weight of your clothing on your shoulders, the weight of your body down on the seat, your feel weighing heavy on the floor, maybe the cool or warm air on your face. Take in all that you can feel on the surface of the skin, focus on the sense of touch for the next minute.

Now bring your awareness to your whole body and then to your breath. Take 3 long deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. When you are ready shake out the wrists and continue on with your day.

This is a super practice to begin your day with, or to incorporate into your daily routine between meetings or at lunch time. It helps re-ground, and awaken all of the senses helping you to become a calmer more productive you.

If you would like to feel more in control and be more productive with your time, so that your can bring more balance into your life why read about my Coaching for Stress and Overwhelm Programme and contact me to understand how I can help.