Instantly Calm Yourself At Work With This Ridiculously Easy Exercise

Instantly Calm Yourself At Work With This Ridiculously Easy Exercise Like most people, you probably deal with your fair share ofanxiety at work. From the meeting that gets rescheduledyet againto managing youroverflowing inboxor navigating the tricky world of kollektiv dynamics, yourstresslevels may spike multiple times throughout a single day.How are some people able to stay calm and productive in response to challenges while otzu sichs are easily rattled?To find answers, lets look to those who have mastered the art of composure under pressure The U.S. Navy SEALs.How Navy SEALS reduce anxietyTheres no question that U.S. Navy SEALs face some of the most difficult situations any human could encounter. Because of this, theyve developed ways to apply the emerging science of grit,resilience, and emotional regulation to effectively manage stress.In fact, neural scansshowthat some SEALs have a remarkable ability to remain calm in response to threatening situations. Their brains respond diff erently to stress, activating neural centers related to emotional control instead of ones related to anxiety and fear.Their secret? SEALs manage their physiology to better to control their psychology.Researchers at Veterans Affairs put it this wayLearning to control your physiology, to control your anticipatory responses as you remain in that situation, are the first steps to controlling your brains response.If youre thinking this is the result of some superhuman ability, think again. It may come down to managing one important aspect of well-being your breathing.A simple exercise to help you stay calmA practice that SEAL kollektivs use in times of trouble is one you can borrow at your desk.Its calledbox breathingor four-square breathing.Heres how it worksBreathe in for four seconds.Hold air in your lungs for four seconds.Exhale for four seconds.Hold your breath, lungs emptied, for four seconds.You can even find guided visualizations online to assist you in a box breathing practice i f youre just getting started. The beauty of box breathing is that its inconspicuous, meaning you can practice it anywhere, at anytime -- duringnegotiations, before deliveringtough feedback, or even in the middle of afrustrating conversation, for example.Recently I shared this tool with a client who is navigating her team through a rocky leadership transition. Meetings were fraught with chaos and morale was slipping, which my client felt responsible for as a manager. These worries were beginning to take a toll on her. The anxiety followed her home at night. She found herself becoming increasingly irritable, and knew she had to address it in amore productive way.After practicing box breathing for just a few days, she experienced a major shift. Because box breathing improved her ability to regulate her emotions, she felt morein controland able to deal with challenges.With renewed levelheadedness, she could communicatemore effectivelyto advocate for her team during the transition -- eve n when upstream dynamics threatened to throw their progress off-course.Give box breathing a try. Even though youre not on the battlefield, you may find this time-tested Navy SEAL technique helps you rule the day.--Melody Wilding isa coach and licensed social workerwho helps ambitious high-achievers manage the emotional aspects of having a successful career. She is a TEDx speaker and teaches Human Behavior at Hunter College in NYC. Get her free guide to change thoughts that limit your successat melodywilding.com. A version of this article first appeared on Inc.com.