TAKE 16 SECONDS

A new supervisor has been hired at work, and you instantly start worrying about all the ways your job might change. “This constant state of high alert curbs your brain’s ability to unleash feel-good serotonin that promotes relaxation,” says Hanna. Luckily, it takes only 16 seconds to follow a more positive train of thought.

When you’re hyper-focused on a problem, just take a few deep breaths using the “box technique.” Simply close your eyes, breathe in slowly for the count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four. This exercise is called “box breathing” because you can imagine drawing four sides of a square with each step. “When you’re counting and focusing on your breath, you can’t think about what’s triggering your anxiety and your mind clears,” says Erin Zammett Ruddy, author of The Little Book of Life Skills. “It interrupts negative overthinking and resets your brain, allowing you to problemsolve more easily.” In fact, experts say if you do this four times in a row, “congratulations, you’re meditating!”