We all have had those days where we were
so stressed out that we couldn't think straight. We couldn't concentrate
on anything. It was just not possible to be productive at work or at
home. We became easily aggravated, and we felt like we were just mad
at the world. These are the short term affects of dealing with a lot
of negative stress.
 |
| Photo courtesy of ABMP. |
Quick Ways to Relieve Stress:
Take a moment to laugh, even if you
have to force one out. Did you know that if you start laughing on
purpose, eventually that laugh will become a real laugh.
Give yourself a timeout. Close your
eyes, picture yourself surrounded by your favorite things, or picture
yourself surrounded by nothing at all. Take a few deep breaths, and
concentrate on your inhale and exhale.
Act like a kid. Put on your favorite
show when you were a kid. Odds are it had some music in it that you
can still sing along to. Pretend like no one is watching and sing
and dance along, just like when you were a kid.
Spend some quality time with some
animals. Petting your dog or cat has a very relaxing effect, even if
only for a few minutes. Seeing their unconditional love for you
helps you to feel happier, decreasing the stress hormone cortisol,
and increasing oxytocin.
Clean up! Being surrounded by a messy
area can be very distracting and nerve wrecking. So take some time
to clean a bit of it up, whether it is a drawer, a closet, or your
workspace.
