The term ‘state’ refers to the mental and physical processes we experience at any particular moment. State is the basis of all our responses. There is never a time when we are not in one state or another.

Our state influences how we conduct ourselves in all situations, challenging or otherwise. When we become aware of factors which shape our state we can make a concious effort to ensure that we are in the right state for any situation we find ourselves in. Our state is constantly changing and is affected by a range of factors including:

• Our interaction with external environments
• How well our bodies are functioning
• How we think and feel about situations we find ourselves in

The activity below encourages learners to think about their own state throughout the course of a working day. 

Activity

Think about the last day you spent at work.

• Make notes about your state, starting with the moment you woke up and every 1-2 hours after waking, until you got home from work.
• You could do this by tracking your state by the hour, detailing any factors that influence your state.
• Try to focus on the detail of how you were feeling.
• When you are ready, click on activity below and answer the questions in as much detail as you can.