The 10-second calm-down technique

While researching mindfulness, I visited Altrincham Grammar School for Girls to find out how pupils are using mindful strategies in the classroom. A lot of the girls I talked to mentioned one technique, in particular. It was something they called a ‘dot.be’. A 14-year-old told me how she used it whenever she started to feel anxious. Another girl told me she used it to stop herself from losing her temper and lashing out. It turned out to be incredibly simple – as of course it has to be, to work in the moment. I decided to try it the next time I felt my stress levels rise (I have two young boys – I didn’t have to wait long for an opportunity). And it worked. And it still works. When my publisher asked me to make a short video for their online festival, I knew it had to be about ‘dot.be’s. That video was picked up by Red magazine, and featured on their website here.