F5 is for Refresh
The F5 key is for Refresh on a PC. It resets the screen to a current view and gets rid of pixels and artifacts that are no longer useful. For those of you who know about “Control, Alt, Delete”, that is a deeper reset. F5 can be done more often and is very helpful for sharper brain function.
What would this F5 key look like on a Human? A key that would refresh our brain after an hour, a half day or a full days’ work. There are so many times that a refresh button would come in handy. Click, ahh, refreshed! Many people long for this function. The good news is, there are a few techniques that are fairly easy!
Many of us sit through an entire half day without getting out of our office chair. We get engaged and carried away with the steps and stages of our projects. For some, there can be an internal fear that if we take a break we will lose our train of thought and make our project take longer. The truth is that a break makes us more effective. The movement, the circulation of blood, the increased intake of oxygen; this combination is what helps us become effective and efficient. Don’t mistake distraction for a break, there are many differences between the two.
The first technique is the most basic of all; get up and drink a glass of structured water. Don’t drink any old water, make sure it is good, clean, balanced water. Water intake is a form of breathing for the body. On the cellular level water flows right through us and feeds and fixes things along the way.
The next thing to do is breathe. No equipment or special membership here. Take some deep intentional breaths. Take three deep, belly felt breaths. Make sure to exhale through the nose. If there is a high level of stress you can start with a few exhales through the mouth, but there is greater benefit exhaling through the nose. We are totally equipped for this exercise and we can do it anywhere. No mat, no special clothing, no partner, no encouragement from friends, it is as simple as it gets. The greatest challenge is finding motivation.
As simple as breathing and drinking water may seem, you have to get up and do it. For most people it is a question of being reminded. I developed an app called Relaxation One which can help with that. It has timers and schedulers for taking time out. There are soundtracks, inspiring photos, proverbs, meditation and breathing techniques. These are some of the tools for rejuvenating and recharging in 5 minutes or so. Deep conscious breathing is the most beneficial reset method, however it is also the one that requires the most conscious effort.
But Marcus, breathing is automatic. Yes, but the automatic function of breathing is just enough to keep us alive. Deep conscious breathing brings in more prana and oxygen, which feeds our body and mind. It gives us more energy and healing power to keep our body system going. It’s the extra fuel needed for inspiring our work.
Some jobs are more physical, which makes the body breathe harder, and that activity brings in more oxygen. The effects can be seen in that workers’ body; generally in better shape. In the case of physical labor, it is the increased circulation and oxygen that builds a better body.
For the jobs that do not include physical activity the F5 reset is crucial. There are so many ways to reset our body and mind. From reading inspirational proverbs to listening to relaxation tracks specifically designed to calm brain wave frequencies. These are mental activities that keep us in shape (mentally), and inspire our thought processes. Meditation can be an effort for many. Deep conscious breathing techniques are even more effort. Survival breathing is effortless; nothing more than a deep brain program and reflex, but conscious breathing requires concentration and effort.
Working on a computer or sitting on a couch for hours reading books or watching TV slows physical circulation down. The need to consciously increase our oxygen intake becomes even more vital. Increased circulation does not need to be much; it does not need to be a sport with big increased heart rate; you just need to move. There are standing yoga positions like the Warrior Pose that are very easy and simple; no special equipment required. Combining a physical movement like the Warrior pose and some deep breathing benefits the whole body, brain and mind.
F5 is for refresh. What that means for we humans, is movement and breath. The internet is full of ideas. All I can say is choose wisely. Relaxation One is a great App for scheduling some of this activity, but any timer or scheduler will work if you have favorite routines of your own. Relaxation One is in the App Stores.
Never go more than hour without doing an F5! Even if you think you’re in the flow. Have a drink, take a breath, move your ass and go back to flow. You will flow even better! The reason people lose their flow with a break is distraction. Distraction kills flow; whether it’s a phone call to the wrong person or a cat video on you tube. Distraction is a different problem altogether. Drinking a glass of water may be a short distraction, but it is necessary fuel. Deep breathing is fuel for thought. Fuel up, rejuvenate and recharge. F5 is for refresh.