***The following is a sponsored post by Michael Peggs, founder of Marccx Media. His company is a digital marketing agency that specializes in SEO and Content Marketing.
Why
You Need to Think on Your Feet
It’s
no secret that as we get older the old gray matter starts to become less effective.
How many times did you go upstairs to look for your glasses and come
back down empty-handed, or remember what you wanted to say to your
sister three days later? While there still isn’t a cure for aging
(sadly) we can do our best to keep our minds sharp. Training
ourselves to think on our feet is an excellent way of keeping us –
literally – on our toes (orthotic arch supports and all).
While
finding the right words to say or the right actions to take in the
heat of the moment can be difficult for anyone (and harder as you
age), it’s actually something that you can teach yourself to get
better at. And learning anything new is a great way to stimulate your
mind. So instead of replying with “umm, I don’t know” the next
time you’re asked a question out of the blue, try replying
coherently, clearly and calmly instead.
Become
a Better Communicator
– Instead of descending into panic and scrambling around for
something to say, make sure that you actually heard the question
right and ask for clarification if you need it. There’s nothing
worse than hot flashes and awkward rambling, except for hot flashes
and awkward rambling in response to the wrong question.
Learn to listen to people,
look them in the eye, breathe for a moment and, if you’re really
not comfortable with the answer, keep it short. Or act like a
politician and respond to the question with another question, or
change the subject completely.
Learn
to Slow Down
– This is an excellent exercise for your life in general. Try
slowing down. Have you thought about taking up yoga? Meditation? Or
Tai Chi? While this might sounds at odds with learning to speak well
under pressure, your
heart actually accelerates when you feel stressed
and your words speed up. What you need to train yourself to do is
exactly the opposite; when you don’t know what you’re going to
say next, you should reply as slowly as possible to give your brain
more time to respond. Practicing calming breathing exercises and
hobbies (even just allowing yourself to read a book every now and
then) can be good for this and your overall menopausal health in
general.
Become
More Interesting – Prepare
answers to commonly asked questions, such as “how’s your job
going?”, “how’s Sally getting on at college?”, or “what’s
new with you?” Think about your answers in advance and have a clear
idea of what you want to say; what is
interesting with you? Don’t
get left wishing you had said something else. When you think in
advance, not only will you respond better, but you’ll have a
clearer understanding of how things are going in your own life as
well.
Thinking
on your feet isn’t only crucial in business environments. There are
so many occasions that you stand to get more out of when you know how
to respond appropriately under pressure; even if it is just having
the satisfaction of getting one up on an old school colleague.
And
remember that while you’re thinking on your feet, make sure that
you’re looking after them. Because menopause can come with unwanted
foot
pain,
make sure that you’re comfortable in your shoes and slip in some superfeet insoles so that you’re not in any physical pain the next time you get put
on the spot by your ex-husband or boss.
BIO:
Michael Peggs is the founder of content
marketing agency and SEO agency Marccx Media, where they
specialize in SEO and Content Marketing. Before Marcxx, Peggs worked
at Google in business development, forming digital media and
advertising partnerships. He is also a blogger and podcaster, hosting
the iTunes Top 10 New & Noteworthy podcast You University – The
Personal Branding Podcast.
