Media sources are full of articles these days about suicide in the veterinary profession. Intense experiences are commonplace and stress is inevitable. But, with awareness and a little skill, its negative impacts are not. The authors share perspective and outline a technique called intentional breathing. Directed at those in leadership positions, we recognize that all animal health professionals lead daily in their interactions with clients and colleagues.
Source: Harvard Business Review, April 15, 2016.
Breathing is both involuntary and voluntary. We don’t need to plan how and when to take each breath (thank goodness!), but whenever we decide to consciously change our breathing, we can. This gives us the power to interrupt our involuntary stress responses and establish greater balance in our autonomic nervous system.
INSIGHTS: Musicians and speakers often hold their breath. The best sales representatives use breathing to calm themselves ahead of an appointment or as part of slowing down a conversation when objections are dominating the dialogue. It works!