The Power of the Ten Minute Test

How many times in the course of the average day do you find yourself agitated over things you can't control? Most of us have to take a few minutes to think about this because we do not consciously keep track. These things become a reflex over time. They are ingrained in the subconscious so deeply that we are not aware of them after a while.

A good example of such an occurrence is driving to school, work, or a meeting of some sort. Many of us are preoccupied with getting where we are going quickly. This is especially true if we are running late. Invariably someone will make a crazy lane change, pull out in front of us and slow to a crawl, or cut us off. Next thing you know; hello road rage!

We can also get short with our loved ones when they do not meet some "unspoken" expectation of ours to do or act a certain way. This shows up as leaving the cap off of the toothpaste, not picking up after themselves, or not being ready to leave for school on time. When the expectation is not met, we find ourselves snapping at another member of the family, someone at work, or heaven forbid a customer at work.

How do you avoid having?small aggravations accumulate? It starts by asking yourself how important the thing that is bothering you at this very moment will be ten minutes from now. Or stated another way, when something irritates you, postpone being ticked off about it for at least ten minutes. I have found that few things last that long or longer upon reflection. It takes conscious thought to put this into practice, but it is well worth the effort.

?Some additional tips to help your frame of mind include:

1. Leaving?early to?reach your destination
2. Reaching agreements with loved ones and others around what your roles are
3. Staying away from the water cooler at work
4. Giving yourself the gift of silence for 30 minutes each day?