Do you live your life like it’s an emergency?
I was guilty of that, too!
I had an ah-ha moment at the grocery store one day while I was rushing around like a madwoman. Out of nowhere, I had this moment of clarity and said to myself, “What am I doing!?” I couldn’t believe the tizzy I was in! I thought, “If I just slowed down and it took me one extra minute to get from the parking lot to the produce section, what effect could that have on my overall well-being?”
You see I had been stuck in this chronic cycle of “there’s not enough time”. From the moment I woke up in the morning to the time I finally calmed down and got to bed, I never stopped living life like my hair was one fire. And I could feel the nasty effects throughout my entire body.
We need downtime to let our bodies and minds rest and heal from all the stress they experience daily. Low-level stress accumulates in your body over time and compounds to become dis-ease.
Rx for Slowing Down
So, what can we do about it? How do we start to slow down and create that sense of “presence” our bodies and minds need? First, take a moment to reflect: What’s your personal rhythm? Are you constantly stressed due to a lack of vitamin T (time)? If yes, keep reading.
The ultimate game-changer for me was learning to set my mornings up for success.
Before you get ready for your day, try taking 5 minutes to yourself. During that short period of time, do some deep breathing, listen to gentle music, or repeat an uplifting mantra. Any of these simple activities will help set the tone of your day.
Are you thinking, “But I don’t have time in the morning for that?“ I hear ya. I felt the same way. But then I realized that my poor relationship with time was setting me up for stress each and every day.
What helped me conquer my morning freakout was going to bed and getting up an extra 15 minutes early.
Just 15 minutes. That’s not much right? But it can make a huge impact on your day. By getting up 15 minutes early, I was able to have some vital me-time that helped me feel grounded and centered, instead of rushed and stressed out.
Practice this simple strategy first. Once it becomes established, part of your daily routine just take a mid-day mini break to shift your cycle of stress.
My 3 Tips for Mini Stress Relief Breaks:
- If you sit at a computer day-in, day-out, try setting a timer every 30 minutes. When that timer goes off, take a few minutes to stand up, stretch and enjoy a little break.
- Or, better yet, lock your office door and pop on a 3 minute Body Groove video or something like it. Sure, it might sounds a bit silly, but dancing around for just a few minutes is actually really fun and can make a huge difference on your stress levels! Seriously, even if you just watch this video, you’ll be sure to smile and laugh and probably think I’m nuts – haha!
- But if that’s not your style, take a walk, get outside, and breathe in some fresh air.
No matter which way you do it, taking breaks and having some “me-time” can help stop chronic stress in its tracks, and help ward off future disease.
- Tanya