Can you believe it's August already? There is hardly time to catch your breath before it's Christmas. Don't let the pressure affect your concentration. Stretch and strengthen your mental muscle with some yoga for the brain. I call it Broga.
Calculated countdown focuses your thoughts on chronological counting and counting by rhythm. This improves concentration by working the muscles that control sequential activity.
This exercise takes five minutes. You will need a comfortable chair and a clock or watch with a second hand. Place the watch where you can comfortably see the second hand as you sit in the chair.
Concentrate on keeping your breathing steady and regular during the exercise. You don't want to hyperventilate. And falling out of your chair doesn't count as exercise.
When the second hand reaches 12, begin counting in time to the ticks of the second hand 1 through 60.
Without stopping, when the hand completes the rotation continue to count in time but only count the odd seconds: 1-3-5-7. Don't say or think of the even numbers as the second hand ticks by. Let there be a space there.
On the third rotation, count the even seconds: 2-4-6-8. Again, try to keep the odd numbers out of your mind as you watch the hand sweep by. If you can, avoid using a spacer like "and" between the numbers. Let the space in your mind be blank.
Count on each tic of the second hand by fives during the fourth rotation: 5-10-15 20.
And finally, cool down by counting the last minute backward: 60-59-58-57.
I will admit to you, this exercise was difficult for me the first time I tried it. It was a challenge to keep my mind focused on the second hand. And I couldn't believe how long a minute could be. I actually had to stop at one point and shake my watch. I thought it had stopped. I was in such a hurry to get done, sitting still and watching the hand seemed to take forever.
But I found that by taking that five minutes and concentrating on counting those seconds, I was calmer and more focused the rest of the day. hk
Vicki Trembly , Topeka, is an improvisational comic and teaches cranial aerobics for creative thinking, stress relief, team building and communication. Readers can e-mail her at trainervik@ cranialaerobics.com or visit her Web site at www.cranial aerobics.com.
