Having a steady set of healthy routines is a critical part of maximizing your Mental Health and sales performance each day. But knowing when to modify them is equally important and can help interrupt negative thinking.
Here is what I mean:
Routine by definition is a sequence of actions that are regularly followed. The more we follow a set routine and repeat these actions – the less we have to think about it.
The actions become automatic and in many cases unconscious (i.e. you do them without really thinking about it). As a result your brain frees up resources to direct its attention elsewhere.
That’s why during a routine workout or a daily shower; you’re probably thinking, planning and analyzing various aspects of your life at the same time.
On days when you’re ruminating and continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad, stressful or dark…
You can experience a MAJOR benefit from modifying your routine.
Modification is a powerful tool to interrupt rumination and negative thinking.
For example – Maybe you’ve had a particularly stressful day and suffered a setback that you can’t stop thinking about.
Rather than taking the same route down the same streets, during a routine walk after work…
Modify and switch it up.
Take an entirely different route and try walking in a neighborhood you rarely visit. This forces your brain to direct more attention to the present moment by filling your environment with new stimuli your brain has to pay attention to.
You experience this phenomena at a greater scale when you travel to a foreign country on vacation. Rarely do you think about work because your brain is so overloaded with all of the new information of being in a foreign place, that you break regular thought patterns.
So today, if you’re ruminating and stuck in a negative thought pattern at the end of the day…
Ask yourself – what can you modify?
Workouts, commutes, meals and the people you tend to surround yourself with are all great places to start.
Look for ways to fill your environment with new stimuli and new ways to move your body that break the norms of your daily routine.
If you enjoyed these strategies, you’ll love my book Stress Less, Sell More which has 220 MORE ways to maximize your mental performance in 2023.
About The Author
Jeff Riseley is currently the Founder of the Sales Health Alliance and Mental Health Advocate. With over a decade of sales experience – Jeff understands the importance of Mental Health in achieving peak sales performance.
Jeff combines his sales and Mental Health expertise to improve sales performance through mental health best practices. His strategies have helped sales teams become more motivated, resilient and better equipped to tackle stressful events within sales.
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