A Smarter Way to Handle Stress
Case Study
Owning a construction & real estate company meant Ben had lots of pressure and often things did not go according to plan.
While this was part of the reason that Ben loved his work, whenever things didn’t go well, Ben would find himself checking emails, scrolling through Instagram or just getting distracted.
This led to procrastination and pushing away emotions on a daily basis.
By learning to sit through his emotions instead of finding a distraction, not only did he feel calmer, but he also got more time back and was able to come up with solutions faster.
Thinking Skills
While you are doing any task, you (without even realizing it!) are using your 28 thinking skills.
When the thinking skills you need to use are strong, doing the task happens easily.
If the thinking skill you need to use is weak, doing the task will be a challenge.
The struggle that Ben had, came from emotions being stronger than his thinking skills.
The Distraction
When Ben came to me, he told me about this situation, yet he said he needed the distraction.
It was during his distraction of focusing on something mindless that he came up with a solution.
While there’s nothing wrong with giving your brain space to think and come up with a solution, the way Ben was during it now, meant his emotions were building up inside (and would one day explode) and it took a while till he came up with a solution.
For example, he could scroll through Instagram for 45 minutes and only then find a solution.
We wanted him to find a solution as fast as possible so projects could move quickly.
3 Ways to Process Emotions
When you don’t push away a strong emotion, it usually passes within 3 minutes. But you need to let yourself feel it.
Here are 3 things Ben started to implement to help him sit with these emotions, so he can let the emotions pass through, get clear, and think of a solution.
1)Whenever he’d catch himself checking his phone because something wasn’t going the way he wanted it to, he stopped immediately as soon as he remembered.
In the beginning, he would sometimes only remember 5-10 minutes in, but over time he’d remember faster and was able to stop himself before his hand reached his phone
2) Ben kept blank paper and marker on his desk in an easy easy-to-access place and as soon as things started getting stressful or not working out, instead of reaching for his phone, he reached for the marker. Then he’d scribble with his non-dominant hand. This allows for all your emotions to be released immediately.
Often after that minute or so of scribbling he continued to write with his nondominant hand to come up with a solution to the current problem.
3) For bigger stresses, Ben recognized he needed a safe and healthy place to talk it out instead of bottling it up by scrolling on his phone.
He had an open conversation with his highest manager and they decided if either one of them was thrown into a stressful situation, the paused whatever they were doing and went on 15 minutes to talk about the problem.
They had a 5-5-5 rule. 5 minutes to vents, 5 minutes to discuss the problem, and 5 minutes to come up with a solution.
By the time they were back in the office, they both felt calmer and had a solution.
Your Challenge
Your challenge this week is to sit with your emotions instead of pushing them away. In the beginning it will be hard, but the more you do it, the more you'll see how they pass when you don't fight them.
Cheers to Peak Brain Performance!
Hi, I'm ST,
Just like you, I want to be more efficient and effective.
Most entrepreneurs want to grow their business but already got a lot of stress.
At LifePix University we help you rewire your brain to become more efficient and effective while experiencing more inner peace.
Learn more here.
Your Essential Guide
to Cognitive Functions
This guide will give you all you need to start improving your cognitive functions. Learn what all 28 thinking skills are, how they apply to you and what you can do today to begin improving them.
Cognitive Functions Assessment
Thinking is not one big thing. Thinking is made up of 28 parts, called cognitive functions.
Take the FREE assessment to see where each of your cognitive functions are currently at.
We're on for 1M downloads
By the end of 2025
Can you help us reach our goal?
Share this podcast with someone you love!
A Smarter Way to Handle Stress
Case Study
Owning a construction & real estate company meant Ben had lots of pressure and often things did not go according to plan.
While this was part of the reason that Ben loved his work, whenever things didn’t go well, Ben would find himself checking emails, scrolling through Instagram or just getting distracted.
This led to procrastination and pushing away emotions on a daily basis.
By learning to sit through his emotions instead of finding a distraction, not only did he feel calmer, but he also got more time back and was able to come up with solutions faster.
Thinking Skills
While you are doing any task, you (without even realizing it!) are using your 28 thinking skills.
When the thinking skills you need to use are strong, doing the task happens easily.
If the thinking skill you need to use is weak, doing the task will be a challenge.
The struggle that Ben had, came from emotions being stronger than his thinking skills.
The Distraction
When Ben came to me, he told me about this situation, yet he said he needed the distraction.
It was during his distraction of focusing on something mindless that he came up with a solution.
While there’s nothing wrong with giving your brain space to think and come up with a solution, the way Ben was during it now, meant his emotions were building up inside (and would one day explode) and it took a while till he came up with a solution.
For example, he could scroll through Instagram for 45 minutes and only then find a solution.
We wanted him to find a solution as fast as possible so projects could move quickly.
3 Ways to Process Emotions
When you don’t push away a strong emotion, it usually passes within 3 minutes. But you need to let yourself feel it.
Here are 3 things Ben started to implement to help him sit with these emotions, so he can let the emotions pass through, get clear, and think of a solution.
1)Whenever he’d catch himself checking his phone because something wasn’t going the way he wanted it to, he stopped immediately as soon as he remembered.
In the beginning, he would sometimes only remember 5-10 minutes in, but over time he’d remember faster and was able to stop himself before his hand reached his phone
2) Ben kept blank paper and marker on his desk in an easy easy-to-access place and as soon as things started getting stressful or not working out, instead of reaching for his phone, he reached for the marker. Then he’d scribble with his non-dominant hand. This allows for all your emotions to be released immediately.
Often after that minute or so of scribbling he continued to write with his nondominant hand to come up with a solution to the current problem.
3) For bigger stresses, Ben recognized he needed a safe and healthy place to talk it out instead of bottling it up by scrolling on his phone.
He had an open conversation with his highest manager and they decided if either one of them was thrown into a stressful situation, the paused whatever they were doing and went on 15 minutes to talk about the problem.
They had a 5-5-5 rule. 5 minutes to vents, 5 minutes to discuss the problem, and 5 minutes to come up with a solution.
By the time they were back in the office, they both felt calmer and had a solution.
Your Challenge
Your challenge this week is to sit with your emotions instead of pushing them away. In the beginning it will be hard, but the more you do it, the more you'll see how they pass when you don't fight them.
Cheers to Peak Brain Performance!
Hi, I'm ST,
Just like you, I want to be more efficient and effective.
Most entrepreneurs want to grow their business but already got a lot of stress.
At LifePix University we help you rewire your brain to become more efficient and effective while experiencing more inner peace.
Learn more here.
Your Essential Guide
to Cognitive Functions
This guide will give you all you need to start improving your cognitive functions. Learn what all 28 thinking skills are, how they apply to you and what you can do today to begin improving them.
Cognitive Functions Assessment
Thinking is not one big thing. Thinking is made up of 28 parts, called cognitive functions.
Take the FREE assessment to see where each of your cognitive functions are currently at.
We're on for 1M downloads
By the end of 2025
Can you help us reach our goal?
Share this podcast with someone you love!
