Whistle while you work

Yesterday, I was working in the office for an extended period of time. I was focused on my tasks at hand and stressing a bit about an upcoming class I'm teaching. At the end of the day I was tired. I took a deep breath- it felt like I hadn't breathed in months. My energy was low and I might have been a touch grumpy- only a touch.

And then I remembered to smile. I learned this from Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink. In his book Malcolm talks about how your mood mirrors your physical body. If I frown I will probably develop a mood that goes with a frown. But if I smile my mood will also follow suit. So I smiled. I took a deep breath and relaxed. It took a few minutes but I was determined to shed the low tired energy of office work.

By the end of the night I was happy, full of energy and relaxed. I learned a very valuable lesson, one I might add I've learned before, I just forget. I seems, I'm a determined but slow learner. Anyway, I relearned this: during my work no matter what it is... I want to pause and smile, to notice how I feel and relax. Smile if for no other reason than to help me lighten up. This may come as a shock to you but I am much more enjoyable to be around when I'm relaxed and happy vs stressed and tired.

Whistle while you work -a classic and timeless piece of advice. Residue free also means free of stress and worry.