“Failure shows us the way—by showing us what isn’t the way.”

– Ryan Holiday in The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage

Wellness Tip:

Melt Away Stress With Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Try this: Squeeze your eyes shut, pucker your lips, and scowl like someone just cut in front of you in the supermarket queue. 

Now relax. Let all the tension in your face melt away. Feels good, doesn’t it?

Do this to one group of muscles after another, and you’re practicing progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). It’s a technique that’s been around for over 100 years and has plenty of research behind it.

Thing is, we often don’t realize how much tension we’re carrying until we consciously flex and release our muscles. And when the tension melts away, some of our anxiety melts away with it. 

PMR is a useful tool to learn and draw on when you’re feeling stressed – or even when you’re not. You can try it using the instructions and audio guides here or by following this video. How does it work for you?

Productivity Tip:

Fight Stereotyping To Boost Creativity

Stereotypes are shortcuts our brains make in a bid to be more efficient. The problem is they can lead to biases and lazy decision-making. They also kill our creativity.

For example, imagine a workplace that’s locked into cultural and gender stereotypes. Those stereotypes can stifle creative problem solving and keep the company from evolving.

Smashing down stereotypes isn’t easy. But research shows that even just thinking about counter-stereotypes (a female mechanic, etc.) can prime the brain for divergent thinking and make you more creative.

It also comes down to effort and will. Says The Decision Lab, “rejecting stereotypes requires a certain level of motivation and cognitive capacity” and they “can be avoided by making judgments more effortfully” rather than automatically.

There’s no easy fix to beat stereotyping, but being conscious of it is a good start. From there, we can put in the effort to challenge the way we think, and watch our creativity blossom outside the box. 

How do you feel about stereotypes?

Routine Breakdown

Sabrina Zohar, Entrepreneur

Sabrina Zohar, founder of sustainable leisurewear brand Softwear, runs her business out of her Williamsburg apartment. After waking up and downing some coffee, she:

• Takes her dog for a walk and does a walking meditation
• Checks emails and completes any online orders
• Sits down and brainstorms “on every single thing I can do in that day” 
• Does something to sweat at least once a day (e.g. yoga or boxing)

Why it works:

• Walking meditation can reduce anxiety, alleviate depression, boost blood flow, improve digestion and more.
• Brainstorming on the day’s tasks is a good morning activity, particularly in conjunction with prioritizing what’s most important to work on.
• Exercise is great for both body and brain.

Let’s talk about walking meditations. They’re a really effective way of combining two winning components of a morning routine: movement and meditation. 

The idea is to use your walk to practice mindfulness and be more present. You can do this in a bunch of different ways, from focusing on your breathing to paying attention to sounds and smells as you walk. 

Why not try it on your next walk? Check out these guided tracks from Headspace or this practice from Berkeley, and let us know how you go.