Three Things You Can Do Now To Reduce Stress

Are any of the following scenes familiar?

This morning, the children slept in again. After getting children to school and battling rush-hour traffic, you’ll be twenty minutes late for the meeting you’re meant to conduct…

When you first began working in customer service, you felt fortunate. However, you now question if it was worth it. The phones are continually ringing, and only complaints can be heard. You phoned in ill last week in order to enjoy a break…

Your presentation will begin shortly. Your supervisor is depending on you to make her seem good in front of upper management who has arrived. You stayed up all night to finish the presentation. You wonder if you have anticipated every conceivable inquiry…

Stress is an unavoidable component of our lives, but it appears to intensify at work. Over two-thirds of American workers cite job stress as an issue.

This indicates that we spend much too much time in the “fight or flight” state. And it is taking a toll on our bodies through weakening immune systems, hypertension, and heart disease. These disorders reduce the quality of our remaining years and shorten our lives.

There are several techniques for coping with stress, but when it strikes unexpectedly and without warning, we don’t need any of them. We require immediate, effective, and portable measures that we can execute RIGHT NOW. Try one of the following the next time stress launches a surprise attack: deep breathing, mental imagery, or gradual relaxation.

Deeply inhale

Deep breathing may be the most efficient method for achieving calmness. Many of us breathe incorrectly, with shallow, rapid, and chest-height inhalations. This type of breathing is restricted, it enhances our nervous sensations, and it promotes our body’s negative stress reactions.

Slow, deep breathing elicits a relaxation response, therefore soothing the body and focussing the mind. It raises the amount of oxygen in our blood, which improves our performance potential.

How are your lungs functioning? Try this: place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen right below your ribs. Now, breathe. What hand is moving? If the hand is on your chest, you are not breathing deeply enough.

The secret is to shift the hand that is on your abdomen. While counting slowly to five, inhale deeply. Instead of expanding your chest, try to extend your abdomen. Attempt it while lying on your back if you’re having difficulty. You will be able to change into a deep breathing pattern naturally with a little effort and perseverance.

Once you’ve mastered the method of deep breathing, you may use it at any moment, whether you’re stuck in rush-hour traffic, about to deal with an angry client, or in the midst of a presentation.

Visualize Mentally

There are two distinct types of visualization methods. Creating a mental image of a calm location is the first technique. It may be a recalled location or an imagined one that induces peaceful, satisfied sentiments. The main concept is to provide the mind with something to focus on other than stress.

Once you have envisioned your calming environment, you should spend 10 minutes striving to visualize it as vividly as possible. Recapitulate your senses. What are you seeing? How does it smell? What can you hear? What do you think? What can you flavor? Then, allow yourself to gradually re-enter the actual world around you. Practicing is required for effective visualization.

Professional musicians and Olympic athletes engage in a distinct sort of visualization: a mental rehearsal of the next event. Instead of envisioning a pleasant environment, mentally rehearse the circumstance that is causing you tension. Visualize the next meeting and practice what will transpire. Visualize yourself accomplishing difficult jobs with ease. Visualize feeling peaceful and in control. This form of mental rehearsal can assist you to achieve these emotions when the scenario occurs in real life.

Calm Down Gradually

The mind convinces the body to relax via both deep breathing and mental imagery. Progressive muscular relaxation operates in the other direction, with the body signaling to the mind that everything is in order.

Progressive relaxation functions by contracting and releasing the muscles of the entire body, one group at a time. Start with your feet and work your way up to your head, contracting and relaxing each muscle group as you go. Tense each muscle, maintain the contraction for five counts and then relax it gradually. Your thoughts will become more tranquil and concentrated as your muscles relax.

The more you exercise, the more sensitive your muscles will become to tension and relaxation levels. The objective is to achieve a point where you can relax your body on command without going through the complete cycle. Stress will have no chance against you if you are able to do so.

Recognize the conditions that lead you to experience negative stress. If you can anticipate their arrival earlier, you may have more time to take deep breaths, imagine the situation in your mind, and gradually relax. Not only can these quick and simple tactics help you manage stress at the moment, but frequent use of them may also reduce the long-term negative consequences of stress on your life and health.