Find A Moment of “Ahhh”: Stress Management Tip

Take time to relax and let your body recover!

When was the last time you allowed yourself to relax to the point you said, “Ahhhh…”?

Hectic schedules, demands of work and home, and the never-ending barrage of information creates stress.  One of the best ways to reduce stress, and decrease the amount of cortisol in your body, is to relax.  But who has the time? Yet, finding even 5 minutes in your day to take some deep breaths, calm your body and your mind can go a long way to making you feel better and improving your health.

So, how do you fit it in?

Here are a couple of tips:

• Get a velvet rope! Just like a fancy nightclub, be selective about who, and what, you let in.  Designate time for yourself and then draw the line – this is just for me!
• Bar the guilt: There is always something else you COULD be doing – don’t give into the guilt about taking time for yourself.  Remember a stressed-out, sick you isn’t doing the best job.  Give the world a calm, centered, healthy you.
• Take baby steps: Maybe you don’t have time for a bubble bath, a trip to the lake, or a massage.  That’s okay.  Find small moments in the day to relax.  Set your alarm for 10 am and 3 pm.  Stop what you are doing a take 5 to 10 deep breaths.  Have a cup of tea. Take a walk outside.  Do something to break your schedule and have a moment of “Ahhh.”

Reserve time for yourself, search out the “Ahhh”, and reduce your stress.  Be kind to yourself and Pay Your Body Back for all you ask of it every day.

Eliz Greene works busy people to improve heart health, so they can work well, feel better, and stress less.

She is a heart attack survivor and the author of the Busy Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Heart as well as 3 other books on wellness. She writes one of the top 50 health and wellness blogs and is a sought-after heart health, stress management, & wellness speaker.

If you are planning a women’s wellness program, workplace wellness program or programs for healthcare professionals check out EmbraceYourHeart.com to see if Eliz would be a good fit with your organization.