TOW#466–90 seconds!
I always thought it was six, but this study says that the stress hormone (cortisol) remains in the blood for only 90 seconds from the moment it’s released as a result of a stressful situation. This means that all the other time we spend stressed out (or in the grip of some other negative emotion) has nothing to do with emotion itself, but with the brain. With our train of thought. If we stop thinking about that stressful situation and give it no energy, but accept it and think rationally, we could reduce our stress to just a few seconds a day.
This technique works in practice and is in some way supported by market research. At our sales training sessions, when talking with participants about emotions in sales, I always mention the ‘six seconds technique’. I read somewhere that every chemical reaction caused by an emotion lasts six seconds, and that everything else afterwards is the brain strengthening or reducing that emotion and reaction. After the training, when we ask participants what they’ll be taking away with them, most of them say that this technique for dealing with stressful situations is what had made the biggest impression on them. And that not only did they like it, but had also used it in everyday situations, at work and at home.
Whether it’s six or 90 doesn’t matter. The important thing is that the body’s natural and normal (chemical) reaction to each emotion doesn’t last very long. Everything else is the brain. Cut down on thinking and prolonging negative situations unnecessarily, and use this technique in order to reduce the impact of negative and stressful situations during your day.
Wishing you success with the changes to come,
Petar Lazarov
“Tip of the Week” Team member
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