You can split a person’s physiology into three systems; ‘Drive’, ‘Threat’ and ‘Recovery’. Unfortunately, a lot of us struggle to focus on the latter. Using HRV to find and harness those recovery moments form part of the work conducted by Justin and Kate at the University of Westminster Center of Resilience. Their talk showcased a wide range of Lifestyle Assessment results and introduced the importance of “green moments” in a person’s day. It highlighted just how different each of us are physiologically and showed clearly how things like work routine and lifestyle choices - from late night alcohol to practicing the piano - can impact your chances of effective recovery.

2. ‘Green Moments: Learning to
Recover from the Fast Lane’
Kate Fismer & Justin Haroun

3. “You cannot wait for an untroubled
world to have an untroubled
moment.
The terrible phone call, the
rainstorm, the sinister knock on the
door—they will all come.
Soon enough arrive the
treacherous villain and the unfair
trial and the smoke and the flames
of the suspicious fires to burn
everything away. In the meantime,
it is best to grab what wonderful
moments you find lying around.”
Lemony Snicket

4. Threat
focused,
protection and
safety seeking
Getting things
done, winning,
beating the
rest.
Feeling safe,
affiliative
Sense of
wellbeing
DRIVE, EXCITEMENT, VITALITY CONTENT, SAFE, CONNECTED
FEAR, ANGER, ANXIETY, DISGUST
Three types of affect
regulation system.
From P. Gilbert (2009)

5. Productivity, managing
tasks, email mountain,
meetings about
meetings, innovation,
profit margins,
forecasting the future,
the bottom line.
Living in drive

7. Conflict, cynicism, mistakes,
uncertainty, sabotage
burnout
Living in Threat

8. Living in threat

10. Dopamine
Cortisol
Oxytocin / DHEA

20. GREEN MOMENTS HAPPEN WHEN THE HUMAN BRAIN
(AND HEART?) ARE FULLY ENGAGED

21. New Economic Foundation

22. 0.859 sec. 0.793 sec. 0.726 sec.
70 BPM 76 BPM 83 BPM
THE RECOVERY SYSTEM
‘The brakes’
Recover, rest, digest, create,
tend and befriend
‘Cave-time’
THE ACTIVATION SYSTEM
‘Accelerator pedal’
LOW Heart Rate VARIABILTY
Threat-reduction and goal-seeking

23. 3 day heart-rate variability monitoring
We map real-life drive/stress
responses and recovery
responses using a small digital
heart monitor linked to a
persons diary. The recording
shows how the body reacts to
everyday events such as,
meetings, activities, exercise etc

24. DO ENGAGE WITH WHATEVER GETS YOU INTO FLOW
Recovery between 2000-2100 - playing the piano - supported good overnight
recovery. Also recovery during daytime when practicing breathing to regulate
activation level

25. MORE MUSIC AND DOING WHAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
On this day client was writing his book (computer) which he reported really
enjoying and listening to Bob Marley his favourite musician

26. Connect with loved ones
At 1900 (15mins of recovery) - walking through the door
after commute and seing his son

27. SUPPORTING OTHERS AND ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE
SUPPORTED
Recovery during an AA meeting @ 12noon

28. STAY CONNECTED AND SUPPORTIVE EVEN IN DIFFICULT MEETINGS
Below a difficult meeting @10.30/11am but where the client reported
feeling supported by her colleague

29. The colleague that was in the same meeting as above
@10.30/11am and also reported feeling supported

30. FIND WAYS TO ‘GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD
Client using reflective journaling as a recovery activity
@ 11am-12noon

31. SING, DANCE, CREATE
Client below - great recovery when he cooks (8-9pm) and washes up
(10pm) - he reported he loves cooking an always listens to his favourite
music whilst he does it. We saw the exact same results two nights in a row

32. PAUSE, REFLECT AND RESET - am I red or green right now + take time to
connect
Client reported it was stressful mid-year period. Managing his team prepare
presentation/results. They had made some major mistakes. He took a few
minutes out, changed his physiology and perspective - we’ll get through this
together as a team…

33. SWITCH OFF- WATCH SOMETHING FUNNY

34. DO CELEBRATE SUCCESSES AND GO GREEN IN GREEN SPACES - client had
just been promoted to the board and was enjoying a train journey with
colleagues + time in NATURE

35. Being with a loved one – client reports
singing his son to sleep at 9pm

36. EAT THAT FROG: Clientreports payroll is the
least favourite part of her job – see the relief
when she finishes at 2.30pm

37. Have you ever said something
stupid in a meeting?

38. “With the reality of work & life
integration, you need to find the
moments during the day and evening
that will either prevent going into
activation or recover from times in red.
This is not about freeing a full hour to
restore in a quiet place, but finding the
shorter moments during the
day/evening which can be on the go or
in the office. Just having 10 minutes to
get your thoughts on something
completely different is ‘freeing up’
headspace”
Michel Van der Bel
Microsoft Vice-President of
Europe, Middle-East and Africa