5 Things You Can Do RIGHT NOW to Manage Stress
1. Do something else – You know when you are stressing. If not, pay attention to the signs: irritable? Clenched jaws/fist? Depressed mood? Tears? Learn to recognize the onset of a stressful event and quickly DO SOMETHING ELSE. Recognizing your stress and ACTIVELY seeking to DE-stress is the MOST IMPORTANT concept in stress management.
2. Take a deep breath – Learn "belly-breathing" Practice this style of breathing, driving, while at work starring at the monitor and use this technique IMMEDIATELY after a stressful event. MAKE THIS A HABIT .
3. Turn the music up and dance – Stuck in traffic and running late? Frustrated? Guess what? There is nothing you can do about it. Now you have some time to yourself. Turn up the music, dance, sing, and enjoy yourself. The traffic is going nowhere so you might as well make the best out of it. But whatever you do, DON’T get on your cell phone to COMPLAIN. That’s not managing stress… that is making it worse.
4. Take a mini-vacation – Hawaii WOULD be nice, but sometimes we just don’t have it like that. But instead of doing nothing, go out and become a tourist in your own city. Go to a restaurant that you have never been to, treat yourself to a massage, or just enjoy an ice cream cone (ONE ice cream cone, not the whole gallon. If food and stress impacts you negatively, skip the ice cream.). Doing the little things in life can be just as good as a week away on an island, plus you don’t have to deal with rude security and insane baggage claim rules.
5. Be Quiet – Take some time out for YOURSELF. Turn the TV and Ipod OFF and be free from all your stressful thoughts. Take up yoga or tai chi . Take sometime out of your day to totally free yourself from stressful self talk . Take up activities that force you to focus your mind AWAY of your To-Do lists.
To begin, practice these steps at least 3 times daily for just 3 –5 minutes a pop. In just 21 days you’ll notice a significant improvement in your ability to manage stressful events.
Leave a comment below, let me know if these techniques work or let me know of some techniques that work for you.
2. Take a deep breath – Learn "belly-breathing" Practice this style of breathing, driving, while at work starring at the monitor and use this technique IMMEDIATELY after a stressful event. MAKE THIS A HABIT .
3. Turn the music up and dance – Stuck in traffic and running late? Frustrated? Guess what? There is nothing you can do about it. Now you have some time to yourself. Turn up the music, dance, sing, and enjoy yourself. The traffic is going nowhere so you might as well make the best out of it. But whatever you do, DON’T get on your cell phone to COMPLAIN. That’s not managing stress… that is making it worse.
4. Take a mini-vacation – Hawaii WOULD be nice, but sometimes we just don’t have it like that. But instead of doing nothing, go out and become a tourist in your own city. Go to a restaurant that you have never been to, treat yourself to a massage, or just enjoy an ice cream cone (ONE ice cream cone, not the whole gallon. If food and stress impacts you negatively, skip the ice cream.). Doing the little things in life can be just as good as a week away on an island, plus you don’t have to deal with rude security and insane baggage claim rules.
5. Be Quiet – Take some time out for YOURSELF. Turn the TV and Ipod OFF and be free from all your stressful thoughts. Take up yoga or tai chi . Take sometime out of your day to totally free yourself from stressful self talk . Take up activities that force you to focus your mind AWAY of your To-Do lists.
To begin, practice these steps at least 3 times daily for just 3 –5 minutes a pop. In just 21 days you’ll notice a significant improvement in your ability to manage stressful events.
Leave a comment below, let me know if these techniques work or let me know of some techniques that work for you.