relaxation

Take a Minute to Relax

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Relaxed_At_Work

Feeling stressed? Here’s an easy fix! Listed below are a few relaxation exercises that you can do right now, without even getting up from your desk.

  • If you have one minute to spare: Put your hand on your stomach so you can feel the rise and fall of your breathing. Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for three seconds. Then breathe out and hold for three seconds. Repeat this process for one minute. OR, if that’s too structured for you, simply breathe slowly and deeply several times while repeating a calming mantra. (The article that I read suggested that you use “I am… at peace,” but I think you could probably go with whatever works for you.) Then relax completely into your chair.
  • If you have two minutes to spare: Count down from ten to zero while breathing deeply. Start by breathing in deeply and saying “ten.” Then breathe out slowly. Then breathe in deeply again and say “nine.” Breathe out slowly. Repeat this process until you get to zero. If you start to feel faint, take it a little more slowly. And if you’re still feeling anxious by the time you get to zero, try doing the countdown again.
  • If you have three minutes to spare: Relax your muscles, starting with your head and ending with your feet. Relax your facial muscles. Let your jaw go slack just a bit. Relax your shoulders. Let your arms drop to your sides. Relax your hands and fingers. Uncross your legs. Imagine that your body is sinking into your chair and your feet are heavy on the floor. Breathe slowly and deeply.

I don’t know about you, but just writing this article has made me feel more relaxed. I hope you find it similarly helpful!

 

Harvard Health Publications. (2012, November). Mini-relaxation exercises: A quick fix in stressful moments. Retrieved from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/mini-relaxation-exercises-a-quick-fix-in-stressful-moments

 

Having a Hard Day? Try Watching a Cat Video.

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Adorable_Cat

Work can sometimes be challenging. We all have the occasional bad day when nothing seems to go right. So what should you do if you’re currently having one of those bad days? Well, you might want to consider watching a cat video.

According to a research study conducted at Indiana University, cat videos make people feel more positive and energetic. People who watch cat videos reported feeling less stressed, negative, and anxious. And taking a break to watch a short cat video can give people the boost they need to take on challenging tasks and ultimately be more productive.

So just in case you’re having a bad day, I thought I’d include a link to a cat video. There are so many to choose from, but I think this one is both adorable and soothing. Enjoy! And I hope your day gets better!

 

Not-so-guilty pleasure: Viewing cat videos boosts energy and positive emotions, IU study finds. (2015, June 16). Retrieved from http://news.indiana.edu/releases/iu/2015/06/internet-cat-video-research.shtml

Create Some White Space in Your Day

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Is your head hurting right now?

While we’re at it, how’s your blood pressure? What about your weight? Are you sleeping well? Do the kids seem increasingly needy? Are you at odds with your spouse? And have your co-workers become less and less collaborative?

Something is going on here. But what’s causing it?

Maybe it’s your unforgiving To Do list. Perhaps it’s the unrelenting deadlines, expectations, and obligations at work and home – and the guilt, anger, and frustration of trying to meet them all. Or could it be the torrent of blogs, websites, social media, newsfeeds, texts, tweets, Instagram, home video streaming, and emails you access compulsively?

You know what? You need some white space, and soon.

Think of white space as your personal “reboot,” emotionally, cognitively, and physically — a refresh that you conduct daily that allows you to make more room for the things you want to do and need to do.

The benefits of these mini-reboots are huge. White space can help you increase your energy, sharpen your focus, decrease your stress, manage your emotions, strengthen your relationships, and allow you to be more productive. It may even prolong your life.

As you think about white space, don’t confuse it with “me time,” which is often about hobbies, activities, entertainment, people, and food. We crave most of these things in our lives; however, they can also be distractions from what you may really need: true down time.

In other words, white space is not about doing; it’s about being. Being means you turn away from your laptop, Smartphone, internet, and TV. Instead, you find a quiet place where you connect with you.

Is this sounding a little too mystical? Let’s get practical, then. Think of white space as your customized hyperbolic chamber, one that you create yourself. In this chamber, you slow down or even stop. You allow your body and mind to regain their natural rhythms. You gear down. Way down.

But how? Let’s borrow a few techniques from yoga: Find a quiet place at least once each day that is stimulus-free and one where you won’t be disturbed. That space could be your car, a quiet hallway at work, or a local running track (but not a busy street where you will be distracted by traffic, noise, and people).

Once you find the quiet place, follow these steps: Begin by focusing on breathing deeply and slowly. After a minute or two, focus on relaxing every part of your body, naming each part as you focus on it. “Feet, relax. Legs, relax. Core (torso), relax. Chest and shoulders, relax.” As you continue to focus on your breathing, clear your mind. Let thoughts – both positive and negative – go. In fact, imagine them floating away from you and disappearing. Again, focus on breathing and being present.

You can do all this in 5-10 minutes, and you can repeat it throughout the day, as necessary. You’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Try it!

Work, Sweet Work

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RelaxingWork

Are you having one of those days? Is work stressing you out? Are you counting the minutes until you can go home and relax? Not so fast! If you’re feeling stressed, research indicates that you might be better off staying right where you are!

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, researchers have found that people experience less stress at work than they do at home. This was found to be true of men and women, married people and single people, and parents and non-parents. It was true across different types of occupations. It was even true of people who didn’t like their jobs!

Researchers found that when study participants were at work, they had significantly and consistently lower levels of cortisol in their systems. Cortisol is a hormone that is released in response to stress.

So why is work such a happy, relaxing place? Here are some possible reasons:

  • You get paid to be at work. Money is rewarding!
  • Talking to coworkers is fun.
  • Everyone is relatively polite at work. Generally, you don’t have to deal with people yelling, sulking, or having temper tantrums.
  • You can close your door, put on a pair of headphones, and free yourself from interruptions.
  • Over time, you get better at your job, so it’s easier to do and people often praise you for doing it.
  • You can listen to your coworkers’ problems and offer sympathy, but their problems don’t become your problems.

So what can you do to make your home more relaxing and rewarding? According to the article, you should try to make your home more like your workplace. They offer some suggestions as to how you can do this (such as setting boundaries with family members, getting more organized and structured, and scheduling “down time”). But to me, these suggestions seem kind of weak. Do you possibly have a better idea? Please share it in the Comments section below!

 

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