How do you take your stress down a notch quickly?
When stress is in control, it can be difficult to think about how to decompress. As a matter of fact, it can be difficult to think about anything beyond your stress. Many people are regularly quite stressed out. Maybe it’s because of work, school, or family obligations and dynamics. Anything can be considered stressful if that’s how you perceive it. Even the constant bombardment of information from electronic devices and being reachable 24x7 can add to your stress.
The end result can be detrimental to your health as it’s important to manage your stress before your stress manages you. One way of doing this is to take the time to decompress and de-stress every single day. Luckily, self-care doesn’t have to be something that’s overly complicated. It can be done with little time or effort. The important thing is to do something regularly. Here are three of my favorite quick ways to decompress and relax:
Power Walking
One of the best things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing is to go for a walk. Just head out the door and take a brisk walk for 10 or 15 minutes. I love walking, it doesn’t require much more than a good comfy pair of sneakers and you can control your level of exertion. Walking is so simple that you can do it on your lunch break, before work, after dinner or anytime you have a few extra minutes.
There’s something about being outside in the fresh air and sunshine that does wonders for your mood. And combine it with walking and you have one of the best stress busters that there is! If you’re able to, try to walk within nature such as in a park or by water. Because of nature’s calming effect, you’ll come back from your walk feeling refreshed and focused.
Treat Yo’ Self
Do you have a tendency to put everything or everyone else first? Or maybe you’re on a budget and feel like you shouldn’t spend any money on yourself. Many of us forget how important it is to take care of ourselves and that the occasional treat does wonders for the soul. 😉 Your treat doesn’t have to be something extravagant.
When you’re having a bad day and you’re stressed out, it’s okay to take yourself out for a fancy cup of coffee. Or maybe you’ve had your eye on a special journal to write in during your morning routine or evening routine. Give yourself a mani-pedi using that sparkly polish you like or eat a piece of artisan chocolate.
Treating yourself isn’t limited to bad days either. If you have a day where you feel on top of the world, giving yourself a treat will make the day extra special. And when I say treat, don’t think that you have to spend money either. Your treat could be a bubble bath, sleeping in or just having some alone time.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you do it in a mindful way so that you can have optimal enjoyment while your stress melts away.
Meditate
Last but not least, let’s talk about meditation. Meditation is something that can be done anywhere, and it works better than many other things to help you slow down and center yourself.
Restore your internal balance and bust through that stress with some guided meditation. What I love about guided meditation is that if you’re like me and your mind is always going a mile a minute, the guided meditation can give you something to focus on. It’s an easy way to dip your toes into the calming waters of meditation.
So, there you have it! Three ways to decompress that don’t take a lot of time, money or effort. It's all about making time.
Let’s talk. What do you do to quickly decompress? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or Linked/In
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