| Hi read,
How are you today? How's everything going?
It's Stress Awareness Month and I'm sharing 7 stress management tips for you to use now, whether you're at home or the office. Some of these you can use while in the pick-up line at school or waiting at the doctor's office.
Take deep breaths. The 4-7-8 method is a great option. Inhale for 4 seconds through your nose, hold for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds through your mouth. This is an easy one for kids too.
Meditate. Meditation helps us focus the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity. Need some help with this? My favorite tool is the Calm app.
Practice mindfulness. Hear the sound of your breath. Feel the texture of your shirt or sweater. Listen to the birds outside. The idea is to focus on your surroundings for a few minutes instead of the thoughts swirling through your head. Or focus all your senses on one moment.
I find that picturing a moment while at the beach is a good one. Picture the scene. You can smell and almost taste the saltiness of the ocean air. Feel the foam of the rushing water; hear the waves crashing and seagulls or people. You get the idea.
This is another great one that you can do with kids. Walk them through the scene to help guide them while they close their eyes.
Get outside. Even better, take a walk. It doesn't have to be for an hour. You could kick a ball with your child. A walk around the block can help. I love listening to podcasts when I'm out and about walking our dog. Two of my favorites that are a great distraction are NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and Smartless.
Read a book you enjoy for 6+ minutes. Did you know that reading for 6+ minutes can lower your heart rate? Yep! OK, a few caveats here. You likely won't get the benefit if you're reading work stuff or books that cause anxiety or even make you angry.
Do energy tapping. Tapping is essentially acupressure (think acupuncture without the needles). It helps to regulate you and decrease your stress. You can do it almost anywhere – at home or in your car. Yay! My go-to person for this is Suzanne Gundersen.
Laugh. It might not seem like you have the mental space for laughter, but laughing can make a huge difference. And I'm not talking about the polite giggle. I'm talking deep belly laughs.
Which one of these do you do to help manage stress? What will you try as a new stress management technique?
Sending good vibes your way,
Suzanne
PS Don't forget to share these with a friend or colleague. She'll thank you!
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