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Can Teaming Up Actually Calm You Down?

team-work

Can working as a team have benefits beyond moral support?

Researchers at Santa Clara and Stanford Universities have found that exercising with a partner enhances a workout’s stress-reducing effects – benefiting body and mind.  What they discovered was that when working with a partner, people generally felt calmer then if they worked solo.  They also concluded that whether they chatted or not through their regimen, the dialogue did not have an adverse effect on their results, and that the feelings of calmness usually lasted well into the evening hours.

In the Professional Organizing world – there is a similar parallel which we refer to as the “Body-Double.”  The purpose of the Body- Double is to act like an anchor, not an active assistant in the process of organizing.  The concept is to help the other person stay focused and ignore distractions, simply by being present.

Often, this practice provides emotional support, as clients will feel that having a Body-Double gives them permission to finish what needs to be done,  thus calming their feelings of overwhelm and reducing their urge to walk away.  It is a highly effective strategy that leaves the persona feeling empowered and satisfied.

 

 

Tuesday’s Tips – 4/5/11 – What’s Your EQ?

What’s Your EQ?

Join us in this week’s Tele-Class

Are You Emotionally Intelligent?

April 5, 2011 – 6:oo PM – 7:00 PM Eastern Time

Here’s the buzz about EQ and why I am offering this class.

First let me begin by saying that over the years, it has been my experience that 99.9% of my clients can get organized…once taught.

This means, getting organized is a skill set that can be learned – at any age, any time.

If my clients were struggling before we met, it was usually due to one or two reasons:

1)  They were never exposed to the skill set adequately and therefore felt insecure in their ability

or

2)  They just didn’t want to do it because of a belief system they integrated into their life.

Regardless of either reason, the client did not feel good about their emotional intelligence.

I have found that once they were exposed to EQ, they had better self-esteem, more confidence, the ability to get organized and feel more in control over their life.

And it is for this reason I am offering this class – I want more people to feel better!

Register Now!

Body Doubling

Body DoublingWhile sitting opposite from one another during our scheduled work session, a relatively seasoned client of mine looked directly at me and said “I think I like it better when I write in my own personal handwriting rather than you printing out labels for me.”

“OK” I said. “May I ask why?”

“I think I find it too impersonal and sterile. I find myself feeling more drawn to the files and want to pick them up when I see my own signature rather than unfamiliar printing.”

Since we already established a relationship with one another, I felt comfortable enough to ask her if there was anything else she wanted to let me know.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” she said, “I think I would really like it if I could try working for a while just on my own, while you sit there. Is that alright with you?”

I smiled back at her and said “Of course. Take your time and let’s see how it goes.” We agreed that we would try this for one hour without talking unless she needed my input.

As I sat there, I started to imagine what it would be like for me to have my assistant just sit in my office while I worked. But that image didn’t last long for me. Unlike my client, I am an active participant when it comes to my work and like to engage and interact with my staff and also require and enjoy their input and feedback.

So, I started to question in my mind what was really going on for my client. Was she beginning to feel more secure in her own sense of style and wanted to try it out while I was present or was it something more profound than this?

Fifty minutes into the hour, she asked if I would like a cup of tea. Sure I said, that sounds good right about now.

We took about a 15-minute break and sat outside on her deck. We talked about the weather, her new landscaping of shrubberies and a little about family.

As we walked back into her office, I asked her if she ever heard of the term “Body Doubling.” Her eyes widened and she just about whispered, “No, what is that?”

Well, I began; I believe that is what we are doing right now.

Having a person who is present and acting like and anchor, not an active assistant, allows the other person to stay focused and ignore distractions. I asked her if she agreed that was what we were doing.

“Absolutely,” she said. “Having you here somehow gives me permission to finish what needs to be done, and I don’t feel the urge to walk away.”

She wanted to know if the practice was common or highly unusual.

I explained that it depended-sometimes it is woven into the organizing practice quite naturally and in other circumstances it is introduced right away. One thing that is certain is that body doubling is highly effective and actually mirrors what organizing looks like.

With this new-found understanding, it made it easier for my client to accept that her initial request was in essence a particular organizing practice. Body doubling offers alternative solutions for people to succeed in their organizing endeavors, when they recognize they are challenged with distraction.

It was safe to say, my client and I worked silently for the next hour and a half and when I left, she felt empowered and satisfied with her accomplishments.

-Patricia Diesel
Keep It Simple Now