How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life pdfdrive com

K
EEPING A
 C
OOL
 H
EAD
You can’t know for sure when the next curveball is going to come your
way. But you can do some preparation to make sure you have “stay cool”
techniques ready for the next time it happens. Practice with whatever is
most bothering you at the moment.
Label it.
Write down how you feel about this situation, and why.
Get some distance.
Try: talking to yourself in the second person,
addressing yourself as “you”; looking back from the future; wearing
someone else’s shoes, perhaps those of your “best self”; imagining
you’re advising a friend.
Ask a rewarding question.
• Ask: “How fascinating! What can I learn from this?”
• Think of a crucible moment, where you overcame a challenge in the
past. Ask: “What qualities allowed me to overcome that? What does
that tell me about my ability to improve 
this
situation?”
• Ask: “What am I really trying to achieve? How can I refocus on
that?”
Do some diaphragmatic breathing.
Get used to the unfamiliar
sensation of your lungs being truly full. Repeat a few times and notice
the effects.
Master the unknown
. Consider the issue where you’re facing most
uncertainty at the moment. Work out what you 
do
know or control.

---

EIGHTEEN
Moving On
Sometimes the difficult moment has passed—the tough meeting is over, the
dodgy decision has been made—but we’re unable to let go of our irritation or
dismay at what’s happened. We sulk about a person who has wronged us, or
about the unfairness of a situation. Perhaps we entertain fantasies of redemption
or revenge. Or we simply worry repeatedly about something we wish we hadn’t
done, as the repercussions play out around us.
While it’s normal and healthy to reflect on what’s going on in our lives,
obsessive rumination isn’t all that helpful. Apart from taking up precious
minutes of the day, it keeps us in a negative mood that makes it hard for us to be
at our cognitive best. So it’s good to know about the techniques that research
suggests will help you bounce back and move forward after a setback.