RELAX!
What is it? What does it mean?
When asking people these simple questions, I get fluffy answers. In some cases people tell me it’s something they will do later or when they are on vacation or when they retire or … Does this mean that the majority of the people are NOT taking any time to RELAX? Right!
Too many think that working hard and making money is the only way to achieve their goals. If that is not enough, they’ll work even harder. How do I know? I’ve been there…working 115 hours/week on average. But no more! I take time to relax now. Every day? Yes, of course. Does that mean I can’t be a super achiever any more? Nope, in fact I get more things done in less time and with more results.
Why? Well, relaxation and creativity go hand in hand. Let me use Roger Hamilton‘s comparison to rowing. Contrary to popular belief, the most important part of rowing is NOT when your oars are hitting the water or are in the water, but when they are in the air! Same thing with relaxation. It’s because you relax, you get more clarity and can become more efficient. And that’s what I learned…the hard way 
So, when I feel stressed, I take some time out to relax. It also helps me to reflect on the issue at hand and diminish its importance by looking at its relativity. We often forget that whatever hurdle is on our path, we ALWAYS have a choice in how to respond to it. And I must say, getting in a relax state of mind always helps me! When relaxing, I look at it from different angles and often get new insights. This relaxes me even more and the practice translates in a happier life where the initial stress disappears magically
And now the Relax Shortcut: Breathing works best for me. A couple of deep breaths. Deep breathing provides you with extra relaxation and energy. On top of that, deep breathing ensures that the blood is fully oxygenated, powering up your brains, so you can think more clearly. The easiest way to achieve this is my 2-8-4 exercise. If you inhale for 2 seconds, you should hold your breath for 8 seconds, and then exhaling to the count of four. Of course, you can also double (4-16-8) or tripple the amount (6-24-12) when your hartbeat is slowing down and you automatically become more relaxed. Enjoy
Relax to the max,
Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach
