(Posted 2022 March)
The grape juice spill seconds before a meeting with your boss. Your 2-year-old climbing into your lap during the middle of an important Zoom call -- for the third time this week. A package you’ve been waiting for arrives in Auckland, New Zealand, but you live in Annandale, Virginia. A constant stream of bad weather and more-bad news. That to-do list that keeps growing no matter how many items you cross off it ….
There’s a reason you’re stressed, and it’s understandable. It’s also OK to press pause on all the busyness in your life, and you can start with these five simple tricks:
- Stop checking your phone. Constantly checking your phone for the latest notification, text or email can be overwhelming. Snooze your notifications, even if just for 30 minutes.
- Listen to relaxing music. Research shows music can affect the parts of the brain that deal with emotion, and musical activities have value in relieving stress and treating mild depression.
- Laugh. A good sense of humor can’t cure ailments, but data is growing about the positive ways laughter can reduce stress. For a quick giggle break, look online at joke websites or watch silly videos.
- Step outside. sometimes, all it takes to reduce stress is for you to take a break, step outside for a quick walk or simply breathe some fresh air.
- Drink a cup of tea. Brew a cup of hot tea, preferably a caffeine-free variety, and spend a few minutes focusing on the flavor and the temperature. This is a great way to tune out what’s going on around you.
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