Quick Stress Zappers
The following stress-reducing activities require minimal tools or assistance, and can provide immediate relief from tension almost anywhere.
* Relaxation breathing works best when you do it regularly and for the purpose of preventing stress. However,the following version works to calm you in the middle of a busy day. It is important to allow about five minutes to complete the activity. All you do is put your attention on your breath, and take note how you are breathing. Do not try to change your breathing, but merely observe it and see if you can find the source of any tension. Continue to "watch" your breathing for at least a few minutes. It will gradually begin to slow and deepen on its own, if you will simply observe and make no judgements about it. When you have more time, you can practice doing this until you feel exceptionally calm. The trick with this activity is to "allow" your breathing to relax on its own and not try to force it to change.
* At least once per hour, take five-minutes to move or stretch arms, legs, shoulders and hands to keep the blood flowing and reduce the chance of muscle tension and headaches. If possible, take a short, brisk walk on breaks to keep you body "flowing."
* Keep your attitude upbeat and try to find humor in situations you cannot change. Make a game of imagining the most positive, ideal outcomes for situations that bother you. Pretend that you are a professional comedian, who has to go on-stage in five minutes. Find a private mirror and "act out" your feelings by making wild expressions and funny faces.
* Keep a jar of Play-doh in your office drawer and knead it when stressed-out (or make creatures with it). This can be very effective in releasing tension in adults, by providing a natural massage, which stimulates points in your hands that can relax muscles and increase the blood flow in other parts of your body.
* Keep an animal nearby. Research has shown that petting animals or watching fish in an aquarium can cause our blood pressure and heart rate to drop. If this is impractical, try putting a water fountain near your desk, or at least a scene of nature. Nature is a powerful relaxant, and even the suggestion of it can have a positive effect.
* Use a powerful, posture technique that involves imagining scenes that calm and relax you, while embodying the visions physically as much as possible. The most successful postures are those that have personal meaning, such as recapturing a time when you felt happy, peaceful and relaxed. Try to remember the smells, sounds, feelings of the experience. Allow your body to "remember" the posture it held while you had this peaceful experience. Your body will respond to this memory in a very physical way, by relaxing. This activity, like relaxation breathing, works best with practice but can have an immediate effect.
.
©K.Rone, 1996
