Keep Calm And De-Stress: 5 Easy Tips For Stress Relief
Picture this: you are at work on a Monday morning, already not quite ‘in the zone’ for productivity. Suddenly, you receive a phone call with some bad news. Luckily, it isn’t the type of bad news where somebody died, or a worrisome call from your doctor. It’s just something that really bums you out and throws off your inner calm. The type of thing that makes you want to crawl into a hole, and curl up in the fetal position for 45 years. Fortunately for you, you have a job, and it isn’t something you take for granted or want to lose.
The fact of the matter is that your focus is off, your energy is down, and your face resembles a sad leprechaun. Since it will be a while until you can go home and mope around in your PJs, you need a temporary fix to keep you focused for now. Here are some tried-and-true self-care techniques you can do at work to re-energize yourself and get things done.
1. Drink Something Hot
Hot chocolate has got to be the ultimate comfort food!
There are few things that make you feel like everything will be OK more than a hot, milky beverage. The warm drink takes you back to cozy and simple times when all you had to worry about was how many marshmallows you wanted in your hot chocolate. A hot drink is like a hug from a good friend. It just makes everything better. So get out your favorite mug and make a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
2. Wash Your Face, Fluff Your Hair
Similar to the method of scaring someone to eliminate hiccups, splashing your face with cold water is a gentle shock to the system. It helps to jolt you out of your emotional ditch, and reinvigorate your body, mind, and spirit.
Flip your hair upside down to get more volume.
It’s a scientific fact that when you get sad and down, so does your hair. OK, maybe it’s not actually scientifically proven, but there is certainly empirical evidence to support it. When I am having a bad day, my hair gets limp and lifeless. So, while there may not be a causation between your lack of inner calm and hair, there is very possibly a correlation.
If that is the case, then turning up the volume on your hair, may just turn down the volume on your sadness. Try it. Just flip your head upside down a few times and see how much more upbeat you feel. Besides which, this gets the blood circulating your head. This helps your hair to grow stronger and more healthy, and can also fight against dandruff.
3. Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can help boost productivity, calmness and contentment.
While the previous tip may not actually be proven by science (yet), there are numerous studies that show essential oils have a real effect on mood, focus, and energy. Here are some of the best ones:
- Peppermint – refreshes and reduces mental fatigue.
- Lavender – reduces stress and anxiety.
- Lemon – a truly invigorating scent that fights fatigue.
- Rosemary – stimulates the brain and promotes wakefulness.
- Orange – relieves tension and invigorates your mind.
- Grapefruit – promotes feelings of peace and positivity.
Use these individually, or mix them for a mood boosting tonic that truly lifts and revitalizes you.
Sometimes, you need a little more out of your massage session. Adding aromatherapy to your next session can help relieve stress, inflammation, and pain with essential oils. <3 #massageenvyhi #aromatherapy #health #wellness #relaxation #antistress #antiaging #antipain #beauty #joy pic.twitter.com/thGUBBb4zp
— Massage Envy Hawaii (@MassageEnvyHI) March 7, 2018
4. Channel Your Emotions Into Creative Energy
Emotions are amazing conduits for creativity. Just ask many of the famous artists and literary geniuses. They were often absolute basket cases, but they produced legendary masterpieces. Channel your emotions into something creative. Even if you don’t have the most creative job, there is always a way to optimize whatever you are doing.
Use this as an opportunity to figure out ways to improve the quality and efficiency of certain tasks. This will distract you from what’s upsetting you, and you will feel amazing about yourself after discovering new and improved ways to do your job, helping you to stay calm.
5. Write a Gratitude List
A gratitude list can help you focus on the good in your life, which will help with your overall happiness.
Take five minutes out of your work schedule and write down everything you are grateful for in the moment. Seeing all the amazing things in your life will put whatever put you in a Debby Downer mood into perspective. Make sure to include on it that you have enough strength and discipline to even stay at work. Many people in your place may just give up and go home, but not you. You are still there, and that is no small thing.
I know that what you really want to do is go home and watch Netflix with a big tub of ice cream. But that isn’t what you are going to do. You are going to finish off your work day, and you are going to be OK.
Conclusion
These 5 tips, especially when used all together, will help replenish the energy that got zapped. They will help you focus and even channel your emotions into something productive. Lastly, they will help you gain perspective. Because really, it’s going to be OK.
