A: Whistling, singing or humming

Whistling while you work does make you do better job. Call it the Seven Dwarfs phenomenon. Scientists studied why some people “choke” in critical situations like a pro golfer missing a short putt to lose a championship concluded that they should try whistling like Snow White’s height challenged pals to distract their overworked minds. While under performing in pressure situations is often blamed on nerves, University of Chicago psychologist Dr. Sian Beilock believes the problem is more a case of mental overload, or “paralysis by analysis.” People can sabotage their performance by thinking about it too much, says Beilock, who led the study. But whistling or singing, she adds, can turn failure into success, whether on a filed of play, in a classroom or making a sales pitch.