START BEFORE YOU HAVE TO DESTRESS

**Destressing can actually start the night before and then first thing in the morning.  Each night right before you fall asleep, tell yourself that tomorrow is going to be a good day and I’m going to wake up happy.  Try doing this several nights in a row and then look back on those days.  Good chance you will look back and actually see that some of those days were less stressful.  So then keep it up and it will become a habit and you will have done this small routine, enough times that your subconscious will actually start hearing it and help change your thinking.

**Try and get into a morning routine.  Again, a plan.  That is basically what a routine is; it’s a plan to get you through the morning with the least amount of stress.  Do this as a family if you want; but assign everyone tasks that help get everyone out the door on time.

Now, I know what you are thinking; I have kids too and it’s not always easy to get them to do what we want.  Make the plan as a family, then no one can say they didn’t know about it and there’s a better chance all will stick to it.  Even if you have to take the next month and continually nudge everyone toward what needs to be done.  After this month, it becomes routine and even younger kids recognize routines and what needs to be done.

Oh, and before I forget, while you are brushing your teeth, look at yourself in the mirror and repeat to yourself; “no stinkin thinkin” and “I’m OK, just like I am” over and over with some “it’s a good day” thrown in.  Again, this goes to your subconscious and you will start believing it.

STRESS AT WORK

You have finally made it to work and this is actually where most of my stress happens.  I deal with people, money and deadlines, so sometimes that brings on stress and sometimes quite a bit.  That’s why I came up with my five-minute stress relief plan that I’m sharing with you.  I also meditate.

But, before I do that, I have a few other tips to share with you. First, and this is a biggie, de-clutter your workspace.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to think as quickly or find things I need, when my workspace is scattered everywhere.  I know people that work with stacks of stuff everywhere and they know where everything is.  Most of us do much better work with an organized, uncluttered space.  (Tip:  same thing goes at home).  It’s almost as if the clutter stops your brain from moving forward.  And when your thoughts are affected then your mood is affected.  Not a good situation for anyone.  The clutter affects the energy of the space and that is how it affects you.

Two other things I do, is keep a big crystal on my desk to soak up negativity and on my computer screen, I keep a picture of my happy place.  I’ll explain this shortly.

Below are the steps I use at work when stress has taken over.  Now I realize it may be hard for some to actually close their eyes, but maybe you can stare at something and space out for a few or stare at your computer screen and space out.  Closing your eyes helps because it cuts off the outside world for a minute or two.  Anyway, here goes:

TIPS FOR DESTRESSING

1.  You need about 5 minutes of quiet time

Even better if you can shut your eyes for this. Two minutes is better than nothing.  The point is to stop and just be for a few minutes.

 2.  Have a plan figured out ahead of time

This means, keep this list handy so you can get to it when needed.  Figure out some of the steps, after this one, ahead of time, i.e. happy place, tunes, etc.

3.  Sit back and wallow in the stress for a minute

Feel it so you can get over it, cuss people out if you have to (in your mind), but only for one minute—and then its over, kaput.  No going back and thinking about the people or situation that has you stressed out.  Just moving forward.

 4.  Turn on some tunes (if you can)

 If you can’t turn on music, try earbuds if you can do that.  You can go two ways with the music.  Nice calming tunes to calm you down or upbeat music that makes you want to get up and dance or sing at the top of your lungs because you just can’t help yourself.  The kind that makes you happy when you hear them.  Just one or two songs is all you need.  This is an item to have figured out ahead of time.

5.  Sit back, close your eyes and visualize yourself in your happy place

A place comforting and safe to you.  (the beach, hiking, petting your pet) Doing something or mentally going to a place that makes you all melty and happy inside.  Dwell on this for a full minute or two while doing the next step.

6.  With eyes shut, and after you are in your happy place, start a few deep breaths. 

7.  Pay attention to your breath, as you are breathing slowly in and out

8.  Do this for 3-4 minutes if you can

Deep breathe slowly in and out.  Deep breathing relaxes your muscles. Notice that your shoulders have relaxed.  Then your hips will relax.  When this happens, the deep breathing is working.  Continue until you feel better.

9.  Get up and stretch as high as you can reach, several times

CONCLUSION

There you have it.  My suggestion is to do 1, 2 and 3, then choose one or two of the remaining steps.  Unless you are one of those people that can listen to happy tunes at the same time as deep breathing.  LOL, I can’t, so I do the deep breathing and stretching then when I’m ready to go back to work, I turn on the tunes to get me going again.  The stress may not be totally gone, but I certainly feel better than before I started.

 Stay Awesome,

Cher

Relevant Reading

Ease The Frustration
What Is Depression?
How Stress Affects Women

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