6. Journal. Why not spend five minutes writing freely about your life and about the things you love? Write down everything you appreciate in your life or write about plans you’d like to make for yourself in the future. Give yourself time to explore different ideas and see what comes to mind.
7. Spend time with an animal. Even if you work in the city, there’s always wildlife to be found. Listen to the birds chirping, walk over to a nearby dog park or visit a local restaurant with a fish tank. Animals have such a calming influence over us. It’s a great way to learn how to take life one moment at a time.
8. Reflect on pleasant memories. If you’re working in an office you’ll have a photo or a memento of family or friends. Take a moment to think back about that day and reminisce about the “good times.”
9. Call a friend or make a date for yourself to do something fun. If you know there’s something wonderful to look forward to at the end of the day or week, it will make getting through the daily grind much easier.
10. Enjoy a small bite of dark chocolate. I didn’t say go out and grab a huge candy bar and eat the whole thing, but a small amount of organic dark chocolate will do wonders for your mood. Not only is it filled with wonderful antioxidants that are great for your health, but its sweet, luxurious taste will put a smile on your face!
Showing posts with label calming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calming. Show all posts
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Free stress solutions I
Do you find yourself tied to your desk all day long? More phone calls to return, more emails to craft, more industry trend reading to do, more work, more responsibilities, more “to do” lists and less time to accomplish it all. What do you do when work’s got you down?
Lately, I’m finding people running around like crazy. They go from work to home, to driving the kids around and taking care of the family, to cooking dinner and doing the laundry. I hear them say there’s no time to slow down because companies are down-sizing so work comes first. Putting in overtime, bringing work home, working on weekends all seem to be today’s reality. Does this sound familiar? What does one do when the thought of taking on one more project sends you over the edge?
Here are some ideas to get you through to the next moment:
1. Breathe. Stop what you are doing and take several deep breaths. On the inhale, hold for a moment, then slowly release your breath. Breathing deeply will help give you clarity, focus and a moment of peace.
2. Listen to music you like. Maybe it’s a quick beat or perhaps it’s a slow, romantic tune – music helps distract you from the hectic pace and puts you in a different frame of mind.
3. Unless you’re driving or doing something requiring intense focus, close your eyes and meditate for a few minutes. If you’re not into meditation, try a visualization exercise. Take a few deep breaths and imagine yourself in a beautiful, peaceful place far away. Maybe you are on a hammock on a warm sunny beach or perhaps you find yourself skiing down a cool mountaintop. Take a vacation from your present reality and visualize another calming environment.
4. Take a walk or move around. Any form of exercise from walking and jogging to doing neck rolls, push up’s or leg lifts will stimulate blood flow and help relieve stress. A walk around the building and moving your body is a great way to break the pattern of going from one task to the next.
5. Get out in nature. Being outdoors in nature is a cure-all for me! Even if it’s just getting a moment of fresh air, taking yourself outside of the confined office space will change your entire perspective and allow you to interrupt the build -up of stress.
More stress solutions next week!
Lately, I’m finding people running around like crazy. They go from work to home, to driving the kids around and taking care of the family, to cooking dinner and doing the laundry. I hear them say there’s no time to slow down because companies are down-sizing so work comes first. Putting in overtime, bringing work home, working on weekends all seem to be today’s reality. Does this sound familiar? What does one do when the thought of taking on one more project sends you over the edge?
Here are some ideas to get you through to the next moment:
1. Breathe. Stop what you are doing and take several deep breaths. On the inhale, hold for a moment, then slowly release your breath. Breathing deeply will help give you clarity, focus and a moment of peace.
2. Listen to music you like. Maybe it’s a quick beat or perhaps it’s a slow, romantic tune – music helps distract you from the hectic pace and puts you in a different frame of mind.
3. Unless you’re driving or doing something requiring intense focus, close your eyes and meditate for a few minutes. If you’re not into meditation, try a visualization exercise. Take a few deep breaths and imagine yourself in a beautiful, peaceful place far away. Maybe you are on a hammock on a warm sunny beach or perhaps you find yourself skiing down a cool mountaintop. Take a vacation from your present reality and visualize another calming environment.
4. Take a walk or move around. Any form of exercise from walking and jogging to doing neck rolls, push up’s or leg lifts will stimulate blood flow and help relieve stress. A walk around the building and moving your body is a great way to break the pattern of going from one task to the next.
5. Get out in nature. Being outdoors in nature is a cure-all for me! Even if it’s just getting a moment of fresh air, taking yourself outside of the confined office space will change your entire perspective and allow you to interrupt the build -up of stress.
More stress solutions next week!
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