The Hindu Business Line : Unleash your creativity

It seems to be that time of the year... or decade. Several buildings — residential and commercial — are undergoing major renovation. As the scaffoldings go up, so can tempers as windows are shut, even barricaded with plywood to protect the glass.

Stress levels can heat up as air-conditioners get disconnected. And the boiling summer will only add fuel to the fire. It can be really tough on the nerves, unless you decide to unleash your creative skills.

Psychologists say a change in circumstances should be converted into a window of opportunity for improvisations that make us find newness in ourselves — new ideas, visions and concepts. You bypass self-limiting boundaries and tap into the limitless right brain — the source of human creativity.

Every home and office requires cheerful inventiveness, wind, water and light to maintain the residents' or office-workers' health and well-being.

Creating harmony

Here are a few suggestions for creating balance and harmony in yourself and your environment.

Change the schedule: In new circumstances, an old schedule inconveniences. A new schedule makes things more promising and opens new vistas. For example, an earlier bath gives you extra hours to do other things. Or a changed lunch-hour may force you to eat out in the garden instead of the canteen.

When you step out of time to share this new life, you become more close-knit. There's a beautiful harmony, a camaraderie that unrolls you into the future where you'll say, "Remember when our building was being painted... ?"

Clear out clutter: To avoid feeling hemmed in, clear out all clutter. Psychologists say that clutter signifies disorganisation, unfinished business and procrastination, and thus slows down the functioning of the brain.

Clutter also obstructs the free joyous flow of energy in terms of physical movement and interaction. Can you speak politely to your family members or colleagues if you've just stubbed your toe?

Create space: A sense of being crowded in your personal space can create discomfort, anxiety, irritation, and even hostility. You can't throw people out, but you can certainly throw out things. Remove unused furniture that's around for no special reason.

Simultaneously, fend off the crowded feeling in four ways: calm, adapt, energise, and share. You may have to accept that one of the rooms/cabins has to become a multipurpose room. Think in terms of `synergy' instead of `crowded'.

Repair, replace, and revel: Repair broken things, and replace damaged equipment. In particular, oil those squeaky hinges. Stick paper pellets on the edges of cabinet-doors to jam and prevent them from suddenly opening out and obstructing your path. Fix leaky taps.

A continuous squeak or drip can disturb your sleep though you may not wake up. It can also raise your blood pressure.

Researchers subjected monkeys to an ordinary day's sounds for nine months. Their blood pressure rose by 27 per cent and remained high for a month despite being put in a quieter environment.

Brighten up, lighten up: Paint walls and corners with bright colours like sunflower yellow. Install tubelights around these places. Bright light prevents the body's circadian rhythm from going awry and causing depression.

Tips:

* Perceive your home/office as `cosy' in place of the earlier `airy and open'. This definitely helps to keep the blues away.

* Keep entrances clear of all adornments/obstacles.

Flow with a fountain: Feng Shui experts say that the sound of flowing water promotes a sense of flowing with life and adapting smoothly to changes in circumstances.

Tip: Keep your TV off and fountain on. It leaves behind a soft soothing inner hum.

Lark in the park: If you can't work out in a well-ventilated room at home, walk in the park. You can try out interval-training for a lark. Run from bench to bench. Halt to do crunches, push-ups, stretches, windmills, hyperextensions, etc.

You can even do pull-ups on the `monkey-bars'. Exercising releases pent-up tension and refreshes. Enjoy the sunshine on your shoulders, but also stay hydrated by drinking loads of water. Walk before dinner too to blow away the day's accumulated tensions and have a great, relaxed evening.

De-stressing sips: Those renovations may cramp your environment, but they need not cramp your muscles.

Summer sweats out vital electrolytes that need to be replenished. The essential electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, and potassium. The best source? Coconut water. Make this your summer sip.

For variety, you can have tomato juice (sodium), or mango/orange/watermelon juice (potassium). Or you can occasionally treat yourself to an electrolyte-rich sport drink. Eat whole grains to get your quota of magnesium.

This summer, decide that nothing is going to cramp your style.

The writer is co-author of the book, `Fitness for Life'.

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