Breathe. Reset.

The internet around here went down this morning while I was in the middle of doing battle with one of the social media giants, on behalf of a client. It threw me off balance. The stress and emotion flooded in, then I remembered:

Emotional responses last between 60 – 90 seconds. That’s it. It’s been scientifically proven. After that, the chemicals that your body releases dissipate and you are left with a mood.

Reframe situations so they don’t overwhelm and colour everything around you.

It’s easier said than done, but since I read that last year (in The Book of Moods, Lauren Martin – seriously, check it out) I have been trying to remind myself of this.

In this situation, stress and emotion was an initial release but then what?

I couldn’t do anything. The circumstances were beyond my control. Laptop lid down, quick walk around the building. Breathe. Reset. Re-enter. Kettle on. Then, face the almighty task of what, exactly, can be done these days without an internet connection…