Keep Your Finger on the Pulse
This activity helps participants observe the physiological effects of stress by taking their pulse. By becoming aware of their heart rate, they can better understand how stress influences their body in real-time.
How to run it
- 1
Introduce the activity and explain its purpose.
- 2
Instruct participants to take their pulse using the following steps:
- 3
1. Place the first two fingers of one hand on the wrist of the other hand.
- 4
2. Adjust your fingers until you can feel the pulse.
- 5
3. Count the number of heartbeats in one minute.
- 6
4. Record your pulse rate for future reference.
Tips
Practice taking your own pulse before facilitating to provide clear guidance.
Encourage participants to reflect on how they feel before and after this activity.
Create a comfortable and quiet environment for participants to focus on this exercise.
Variations
You can adapt this activity to include discussions about stress management techniques after taking the pulse.
Where it fits
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Keep Your Finger on the Pulse?â–¾
Use Keep Your Finger on the Pulse when you want to: team kickoff; stress management workshop; leadership training; wellness check-in; team-building activity.
How long does Keep Your Finger on the Pulse take?â–¾
Keep Your Finger on the Pulse typically takes 10–15 minutes.
How many participants does Keep Your Finger on the Pulse work for?â–¾
Keep Your Finger on the Pulse works best for groups of 5 or more.
What materials do I need for Keep Your Finger on the Pulse?â–¾
Keep Your Finger on the Pulse requires no special materials — just participants and a space.
How difficult is Keep Your Finger on the Pulse to facilitate?â–¾
Keep Your Finger on the Pulse is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from SessionLab. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.