Now in a 2011 Study from the American Institute of Stress, 80% of workers said they was feelin' mighty stressed on the job, and 'bout half of 'em felt they needed some help learnin' how to manage all that worry. Back in a similar survey in 2000, 65% of folks reported stress-related health issues, I tell you what.
We all get a little stressed from time to time, and it's plain as day that work tends to add to it. If y'all don't address it, that stress you're feelin' can take a mighty heavy toll on your mental and even your physical well-bein'. So before you up and ghost your job, sell all your worldly belongin's, and run away to backpack Europe forever… try some less extreme ways to ease that stress from the daily grind.
If that ain't your thing, try some of these other ways to unwind right there in your office:
Take Dem Deep Breaths.
Mindful breathin' is one of the best ways to knock down that stress, I reckon. By takin' your focus off what's botherin' you and concentratin' on how you're breathin' and how it affects your body, y'all can help reduce that tension and relieve your stress. Personally, if I can just calm my breathin' down, the rest of my body follows right along.
Give some of these techniques a try:
Belly Breathin'
Sit or lie flat in a mighty comfortable spot.
Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and rest the other hand on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push that hand right out. Your chest shouldn't be movin' at all.
Breathe out through pursed lips like you're fixin' to whistle. Feel that hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all that air out.
Do this breathin' 3 to 10 times. Take your sweet time with ever' breath.
Notice how good you feel at the end of the exercise, yessir.
4-7-8 Breathin'
To get started, put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest just like in that belly breathin' exercise.
Take a deep, slow breath from your belly, and silently count to 4 as you're breathin' in.
Hold your breath, and silently count from 1 to 7.
Breathe out completely as you silently count from 1 to 8. Try to get all that air out of your lungs by the time you hit 8.
Repeat that 3 to 7 times or until you're feelin' nice and calm.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.
Walk it out!
Get on up from your desk and take a quick 5-minute walk. Chat with your coworkers, or dip outside right quick to soak up some of that much-needed Vitamin D (Zyrtec in hand, 'cause it is springtime after all). Gettin' away from a screen and catchin' some fresh air will do wonders, I tell you what, even if it's only for a little while.
Stretch that stress away!
Try this easy 3-minute yoga session from the National Health Service UK to check in with your body and relieve some of that tension. Your lower back gonna thank you, yessir!
Splash some water on your face!
No, it ain't just somethin' you see in the movies! Hydrotherapy is puttin' water on your body's surface to help it heal up and feel better. How's it work, you ask? Well, accordin' to Dr. Peter Bongiorno, “The wet and cold causes our surface vessels to vasoconstrict (tighten up) making blood move from the surface of your body to the core, as a means to conserve heat. Not only does it conserve heat, it also reflexively bathes the brain and vital organs in fresh blood. This movement will bring nutrition, oxygen and also help gently detoxify the area.” Just make mighty sure to dry off before headin' back to your electronics!
Next time you're feelin' overwhelmed, try some of these techniques to help get you some quick relief. Stress can be a part of life for ever' one, but by takin' time for your physical and mental health, it can sure be manageable. Find what works best for you, friend!
While y'all are here, check out some of the other great stuff Texas Flange has to offer, like our catalog or online drawings!
Sources for the featured techniques in this article, as well as more ways to knock down that stress:
