Feeling stress and strain at times is normal for everyone. It is important to be aware of it, understand it and have a plan for managing it before it becomes too overwhelming and difficult. Stress that is left unaddressed can have very negative cumulative effects and impact your relationships, your career and even your health.
How you manage your stress will be up to you. There is no one correct way to do this. What works for one person may not work very well for someone else. Your own experiences, beliefs, abilities and personal motivation will factor into what works best for you.
Here are some tips to use when needing to reduce your stress level QUICKLY:
- Deep breathing – slowly breath in to the count of six (be sure you are filling up like a balloon and exhale to the count of six. Do this about five times.)
- Relax your muscles – take note of what areas feel tense; take a few moments to purposefully release the tension and let it go.
- Stretch – stand up, move around, reach, bend, and use rubber stretch bands if you have them.
- Squeeze – have a squeeze ball or something you can squeeze and release.
- Sit up straight – having good posture will help you breath better, feel more relaxed and even keep you more focused.
- Drink – hydrate your body; drink water.
- Be mindful – think only about what is in front of you at the moment; give your attention to the task at hand. The zillions of things you need to do later can wait; you can only do one thing at a time, so focus on that one thing now.
- Smile! It can only make you feel good!
- Laugh! It can make you feel even better!
- Remember what makes you feel good. Keep pictures of your family, pets and those that make you feel happy close by; use other visual aids like posters, calendars and quotations that can quickly take you on a short “mind vacation” to help you feel relaxed and refreshed.
For more stress management basics, visit http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/MY00435.