In today's hectic, stressful world, finding time to relax can be difficult. However, it is important to make an effort to relax and unwind each day, so that you do not become overwhelmed by stress or develop stress-related health problems. Here are some ideas on how to relax.
As part of any relaxation technique, you will need to learn to control your breathing. Stress causes people to breathe in short, rapid bursts. By making an effort to breathe slowly and deeply, you can reduce your stress levels and enter a calm, more peaceful state.
Different people find different activities relaxing. Some people like to meditate, stretch out with a book, or take a nap. Others actually find physical activity relaxing, and like to practice yoga, take a leisurely walk, or play a round of golf to relax. Find out what kind of person you are, and what you consider relaxing. If you feel calm and refreshed when the activity is over, chances are you've found your personal relaxation activity.
If you don't have time to actually get out and do an activity, you can still take mental steps towards relaxing. For example, you can close your eyes and imagine yourself taking a cool, refreshing dip in the pool or doing whatever you find most relaxing. Even simply thinking happy thoughts can help ease tension in moments of stress and make you feel relaxed. You might think of your family or pet, or of a reward or something you are looking forward to doing once the stressful situation has passed.
Laughter is also a huge stress-buster, and a great way to bring things into perspective and make you feel a bit more relaxed. If you find yourself feeling stressed at work with some frequency, you might consider bookmarking some humorous websites on your computer so you can easily get a laugh at your desk.
Many people do not realize that multi tasking contributes to stress. Even if what you're doing is not complicated or important, the fact that you are doing more than one thing at a time puts an additional load on your brain, requires more energy, and can increase stress. In order to have a more relaxing day, slow down and take one thing at a time. Don't be in such a rush that you end up multitasking. Don't over schedule your day or overextend yourself so that you feel rushed and stressed all day long.
It is also important to set aside a time for relaxation each day. When you know you have this relaxation time to look forward to, you can use it as a reward to help you get through the rest of the day. However, this time should feel natural and never develop into just another "task" or appointment on the calendar that you have to get through each day. If you're not enjoying the relaxation time, you might as well not do it.
If you truly want to reduce your stress levels, you a mixture of these relaxation ideas and a commitment to lessening your workload are a great beginning.
Jill Magso is a member of the Silva Team and contributes to spreading enlightened ideas and sharing teachings about meditation practices. The Silva Method encompasses a variety of powerful exercises that take you deep into Alpha and Theta levels of the mind so that you can work within your subconscious as well as your conscious mind.