Stopping Yourself from Acting On Bad Impulses (Quick Study)

25 Nov 2019

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It’s about training yourself to pause. Here's how. Amy Jen Su, author of "The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best Self—Every Day", says that recognizing when you’re about to engage in a bad habit--and being able to find a “magic pause”--is the key. If you’re about to snap at a co-worker, reach for that sugary snack, or micromanage a direct report, there are ways to short circuit these behaviors before they begin. She describes three techniques in detail: having a mantra or “swing thought”, breathing with intentionality, and practicing something she calls the “washing the dishes meditation.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- At Harvard Business Review, we believe in management. If the world’s organizations and institutions were run more effectively, if our leaders made better decisions, if people worked more productively, we believe that all of us — employees, bosses, customers, our families, and the people our businesses affect — would be better off. So we try to arm our readers with ideas that help them become smarter, more creative, and more courageous in their work. We enlist the foremost experts in a wide range of topics, including career planning, strategy, leadership, work-life balance, negotiations, innovation, and managing teams. Harvard Business Review empowers professionals around the world to lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact. Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters Follow us: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_review

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