Whenever we get so upset that we say or do something we later regret (and who doesn’t now and then?), that’s a sure sign that our amygdala - the brains radar for danger and the trigger for fight-or-flight response - has hijacked the brain’s executive centres in the prefrontal cortex. The neural key to resilience lies in how quickly we recover from that hijacked state.
The circuitry that brings us back to full energy and focus after an amygdala hijack concentrates in the left side of our prefrontal area, says Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin. He’s also found that when we’re distressed, there’s heightened activity on the right side of the prefrontal area. Each of us has a characteristic level of left/right activity that predicts our daily mood range - if we’re tilted to the right, more upsets; if to the left, we’re quicker to recover from distress of all kinds.
To create more of a tilt to the left of the prefrontal area, it is scientifically proven that by practicing mindfulness you can achieve this goal.
Practicing Mindfulness. The instructions are simple:
1. Find a quiet, private place where you can be undistracted for a few minutes. For instance, close your study/room door and mute your phone.
2. Sit or lie comfortably, with your back straight but relaxed.
3. Focus your awareness on your breath, staying attentive to the sensations of the inhalation and exhalation, and start again on the next breath.
4. Do not judge your breathing or try to change it in any way.
5. See anything else that comes to mind as a distraction - thoughts, sounds whatever. Let them go and return your attention to your breath.
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If you suffer from anxiety, stress, or depression and practice an average of 30 minutes of mindfulness a day for 8 weeks, you can expect your ratio from titled toward the stressed-out right side to leaning toward the resilient left side (of your brain’s prefrontal area). What’s more, it’s been proven that you are likely to be reminded of you what you love about your work/interests and get you in touch with what brought you energy in the first place.
To get the full benefits of mindfulness, a daily practice of 20 to 30 minutes works best. Think of it as a mental exercise routine. It can be very helpful to have guided instructions, but it’s key to find a slot for the practice in your daily routine.
This excerpt has been taken and adapted from HBR’s Emotional Intelligence Series ‘Mindfulness’.