How to Destress Fast

If you are headed into a meeting with your shoulders in your ears, it may be wise to take a few minutes and destress fast, before you freak everyone out. The American Institute of Stress reports that "what is stressful for one person may be pleasurable or have little effect on others and we all react to stress differently." Regardless of the causes for your stress, a few simple self-care exercises can help you to destress fast and carry on with your day in a healthy, productive manner.

Instructions

• 1

  Find a private location where you will not be disturbed for five minutes, such as an empty room, outdoor enclave or a restroom stall. Focus your mind on a single word that represents exactly how you wish you felt at the moment. Some examples of good words to focus on include "calm," "peaceful," "joyful," "confident" or "steady."

• 2

  Practice deep breathing while you focus intently on the specific word you have chosen. Do not let your mind wander, but consistently bring your thoughts back to the chosen word for the entire five minutes of practicing your fast destress technique. Be intentionally mindful of your body taking in and exhaling oxygen in a steady rhythm. This fast relaxation technique can help slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.

• 3

  Create a mantra that includes the word that you have focused on for the past five minutes. For example, if your word was "calm," your mantra might be, "I am calm, cool, collected, and confident." Repeat the mantra several times to yourself. It is best if you can do it out loud, but if you fear being overheard, simply repeat the mantra internally. Recall and internally repeat the mantra once you leave your refuge and begin interacting with stress-inducing situations, in order to retain your sense of well-being until you are out of the situation.

• 4

  To release tension from behind your eyes due to stress, rub your palms together vigorously until you have generated a significant amount of heat. Cup your warm hands over your closed eyes for 10 seconds, mindfully concentrating on the warmth. Take your hands away from your eyes and open them very slowly. You will feel calmer, your tension levels will decrease and your eyes will feel rested. Repeat as needed.

• 5

  Release stress tension in your muscles by taking a few minutes out of your day to stretch. If you are seated at your desk, simply rotate your neck in a gentle, circular motion until your muscles are properly stretched without feeling over-extended. If you can get away from your desk, stand and stretch your hands up toward the ceiling. Sit down on the floor, with your legs straight out in front of you, and reach your hands down toward your toes until you feel a good stretch in your leg muscles. Repeat these stretches until you notice a reduced amount of tension throughout your body.

• 6

  Give yourself permission on particularly stressful days to close your eyes and daydream for about five minutes. Imagine that you are at your favorite vacation spot, eating your favorite foods, listening to your favorite music, with your favorite people. At the end of your five minute vacations, your spirits will be lifted and your stress levels decreased.