Researchers from MIT made participants walk on a treadmill—some fast, some slow—while negotiating the price of a used car. For the participants that generally like negotiating, those who walked while they wheeled-and-dealed achieved higher economic outcomes and were more satisfied with the negotiation than those who sat down during the meeting. What about the arbitrating adverse? They performed worse, were more anxious, and were less satisfied about the discussion when they were asked to walk during their negotiation. The bottom line: know yourself. If you’re really jazzed about finagling a raise with your boss, do it right after your lunch run or do some jumping jacks in the bathroom beforehand. But if negotiating really isn’t your cup of tea, calm yourself down with some tea or mindfulness meditation for a meeting you can feel good about. More from Prevention: Stop A Fight In Its Tracks
