Ways To De-stress.

 

Again, I apologize for nothing this past weekend.  I finally got home to an apartment whose kitchen sink had backed up and wouldn't drain.  I spent much of the weekend trying to get it up and running myself but I'll have to have someone come in since I am not in a position to take the whole thing apart.  In addition, I finally got internet up and running.  So now on to today's topic about de-stressing.

Unfortunately, stress seems to be a part of everyday life.  It follows you around your day, sometimes increasing until you get home at night.  Too much stress can cause health issues so one wants to either eliminate or reduce stress. The following suggestions should take about 10 minutes so its possible to de-stress in a short time.

First, think about being active such as a quick walk or dance.  I have been known to take a bathroom break, take the long way to the bathroom so I could get up and move.  I made it a rule to try to move at least once an hour outside of my 15 minute legal break.  Depending on where you are, you might be able to fit in a quick walk at lunch time around the building, or close the door to your office and enjoy some music while moving to it.  

Another way is to close your eyes and either stretch, meditate, or take deep breaths.  There are a few apps you can get for your phone that have guided breathing. exercises.  I have one that allows me to choose the length of it and I've found it is quite a nice way to get rid of stress.  When you stretch, you can do a series of stretches from your head to your toes that will help relieve stress.  In fact, if you search for stretching exercises to do at work, you'll get quite a few ranging from one minute to 13 minutes.  

Take time to check in on yourself.  Ask yourself how you are doing?  Sometimes we get so busy, we forget to check on ourselves.  Find a joke page or watch a short video clip that makes you laugh since laughter is wonderful for reducing stress.  Put on some inspiring music to listen too when you get too stressed out.  You can also look for inspirational quotes to put on the wall.

One of the latest trends towards de-stressing is to color.  You might want to color quotations, adult coloring books, or even color in mandala's.  Just the act of coloring can be very relaxing.  You don't even have to haul the physical items with you as there are coloring apps you can download on your phone that will allow you to color.  You might need a pencil or stylo but I've found if I blow the picture up large enough, I can use my finger.

Don't forget the social aspect of life.  When you connect with others, it helps relieve stress.  Reach out to a family member or friend if you get to feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Or ask them to walk with you after work around the neighborhood and just talk, enjoy the scenery, and have fun.  

Consider making time for cultural, religious, or spiritual activities.  I love participating in cultural activities like dancing, or going out to gather fresh greens.  Most towns have some sort of cultural activities along with at least one church.  If that isn't your thing, think about volunteering with a group you like.  It might be helping out with the boys and girls club, being a big brother or sister, become a master gardener.  

Chose a few of these items and integrate into your life on a regular basis so you don't experience the effects of stress.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.