Quick Ways to Reduce Stress (+audio)

Here are a few quick ways to reduce your stress level - at home, at the office, or anywhere you need to…

(Note: This is a chapter from of a complete “reduce stress” audio program that I’m not selling at the moment. If you’re interesed, post a comment below.)

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Relieve Stress in 15 Minutes

• Take a quick nap. Short, power-naps are a fast way to recharge the system. Don’t let yourself sleep for longer than 15 to 20 minutes. A quick nap will give the mind and the body the burst of renewed energy needed for the rest of the day.

• Take a short walk. Keep gym shoes at your desk so you can take a quick break. Walk outside, near trees or a park if possible. Many office buildings have walking paths for this activity. Take in all the sights and sounds. Clear your head while you treat your body to some physical activity. You will come back with renewed energy.

• Make a quick spa at your desk. Take off your shoes and using a golf ball, roll it around under each foot as a mini foot massage. Heat a cup of water to boiling. Close your eyes and relax. Sit with your head over the steam. Let the mist seep into your skin. Now sit back in your chair with your eyes closed. Use two folded paper towels, soaked in cold water, to place over each eye. Tilt back and sit for a few minutes. Relax your mind as you sit. Be sure to forward your phone while you do this activity. You don’t want any distractions. Let your mind relax.

• If you are under a lot of stress at work, or your mind is stuck on a big project, take a short break. Do something completely different from what you were working on. Find another project you need to do or return emails or voice mails. Get up and walk around the office. Now approach the first project with new eyes and a renewed spirit.

• Work a puzzle. Taking 15 minutes out to do a puzzle, such as a crossword puzzle can refresh the brain. Spending too much time thinking about one thing can stunt your creative juices. Work a puzzle totally unrelated to your project at hand. The distraction will be just what your mind and body needed to rejuvenate.

• Organize your office. If your office is messy, spend 15 minutes going through stacks of old paperwork and discarding them. If you need to keep them, use file folders to put the information in. If your office is clean, try re-organizing it. Move things around your office, or desk. Make the room flow by changing the placement of your desk or file cabinet. Designate one area for personal objects or pictures that make your happy.

Relieve Stress in 10 Minutes

• Write yourself a note. If you are particularly stressed or upset about something, write it down. This is not going to be seen by anyone but you. Write (or type on your computer if you prefer) all about the situation that occurred and why you are upset or angry. Now list several things you could have done differently. Finally, list several alternatives for what you can do now. Many times just the act of writing things down helps you to diffuse the situation in your mind and reduces the stress caused by it. When you are done, throw out the note or erase it.

• Listen to soft music or nature sounds.Take a short break and turn on some soothing music. There are many relaxation CDs available with soft music mixed with sounds from nature, such as the ocean waves or the mountain stream. Relax your mind as you listen to the soft sounds of nature. Feel your muscles loosen up.

• List all the states. (if you’re not American list as many countries as you can) Time yourself for 10 minutes. Now, without looking them up, or asking anyone else, try to write down all 50 states. It’s harder than you think! This activity takes focus away from your immediate stresses. Can’t get them all? Try again tomorrow.

• Write down a list of all the things you are thankful for. Counting our blessings is one way to put all our troubles into perspective. Just thinking about all that we have and love in our lives can make us feel a renewed joy at being here.

• Take a 10 minute vacation.Visualize a mountain with a forest and a babbling brook. There is a path and you are walking on it. You can smell the pinecones. The fresh air is amazing. You stop along the way to look at nature. There are beautiful trees and you see birds. You pick up a stick and use it as a walking stick. Walk until your 10 minutes are up. You will feel as though you were actually there. You will feel reenergized.

• Count stars. Take a walk outside at dark and see how many stars you can count. Look up and try to find various constellations in the sky. Many can be seen with the naked eye. Stargazing has long been a relaxing night activity.

Relieve Stress in 5 Minutes

• Stand up and stretch. Sitting in one position for long periods of time can make muscles achy. Stand up; turn off the phone, and stretch. Just a quick stretch or walk around your cubicle will make you feel renewed.

• Use aromatherapy.Get a spray bottle and fill it with water. Mix in several drops of essential oil in a calming scent. When you feel stressed, take out the spray and spritz it into the air. You can also spray some onto a towel and hold it on your forehead or over your eyes for a few minutes. You will be instantly calmed and relaxed. Some calming scents to choose are lavender, bergamot, jasmine or sandalwood.

• Have a hot cup of herbal tea. Take a quick break and make yourself a cup of herbal tea. Chamomile is a good choice because of its relaxing properties. Use two teabags. Let the warm steam go into your nose. Put the warm teabags onto your closed eyelids. Hold them there for a minute or two to get a nice calming effect.

• Tell yourself an affirmation. Affirmations actually do work. Find one positive statement that makes you feel good today and repeat it to yourself for several minutes. Then, write it down and post it near your desk. Whenever you are feeling stressed, read your affirmation.

• Take a quick break. Sitting at your desk for too long at a time isn’t healthy. Every hour or so you should get up and walk around for 5 minutes or so. Walk around the office or go down to the lobby. Step outside for a breath of fresh air.

• Spritz water on your face. Keep a small spray bottle of water at your desk. When you’re tired or stressed, spray your face with a fine mist. The sensation is relaxing and the water is good for your skin.

• Give your hands a massage. Working on a computer all day can make your hand muscles sore and weak. Give your hands a 5-minute break. Slowly massage each hand. If you want, you can use hand cream and give yourself a double treatment.

• Use a stone to push your worries away. Find a smooth stone, like a river stone. It should be small enough to easily fit into your hand. When you have stress, take out your stone and rub it while thinking happy thoughts. The repeated action of rubbing the stone will help sooth and reduce stress.