How to Relieve Stress Quickly: 1-Minute Stress Busters
Sure, a yoga retreat, beach vacation or spa treatment would be nice to take whenever you start to feel stressed. But most people have to determine how to relieve stress quickly without those dreamy options. With a few easy techniques, you can actually learn how to relieve stress quickly and by taking your stress level down a notch or two in just one minute – and without spending a dime. Try these burnout-busting techniques for quick results and you’ll be feeling less stress in no time.
Tips on How to Relieve Stress Quickly
Slow, deep breaths. Breathing from the abdomen can induce the relaxation response, so your heart rate and blood pressure slows, while blood flow increases and muscles relax. You can try deep breathing from your office chair. Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Breathe in through the nose and exhale through the mouth. The hand on your abdomen should be moving more than the hand on your chest.
Neck stretches. Clasp your hands behind your head, and gently pull forward. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Or, for a side stretch, let the right arm hang down while you place the left arm on the right side of your head, and pull to the left gently. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Shoulders down. Most of us never notice how high our shoulders are. Simply lowering your shoulders can reduce your tension.
Look out the window. The view outside sure beats the computer screen. Turn your gaze outside, and take a few moments to observe the sights. Shifting your attention provides a momentary distraction from your stress.
Close your eyes. You may not be able to take a vacation now, but you can travel anytime in your mind. Most of us have a “happy place,” or a destination where we’d happily travel on a moment’s notice if given the opportunity. Visualize that place and all of its sights, smells, sounds and textures.
Change your screensaver. This is particularly effective if you don’t have a window nearby. Whatever kind of scene relaxes you, you can probably find a screensaver that captures it, and some feature rotating images. Take a few moments to enjoy those scenes when you first log on to your computer in the morning, and periodically throughout your day.
Music or nature sounds. For many of us, it’s best to skip the lyrics and stick to instrumental music; lyrics can be distracting and otherwise clutter the mind. Think quiet background music that’s not intrusive. Slow classical music, for example, has been shown to slow the pulse, lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones.
Quick burst of exercise. While stress reduction often results from slowing down, sometimes getting the heart rate up can also calm us down. Grab a jump rope or run in place for 60 seconds of cardio. The activity will get your endorphins flowing.
Laugh. Recall an occasion that you made you laugh hard, and relive it in your mind. Or find yourself a good cat video. Even a few seconds of laughter can help lighten your mental load.
Take a moment of gratitude. Gratitude shifts your attention away from negativity, puts life into perspective, and reminds you that life is bigger than a single moment.
Pay someone a genuine compliment. Get out of your own head, and focus on someone else. You may have just made someone’s day in the process.
One more tip on how to relieve stress quickly: Whenever you’re tempted to let stress rule your day, ask yourself whether this will matter one year from now, one week from now, or even tomorrow. Often daily stressors feel big in the moment, but will not affect us long term. It’s best to focus on the long game and where your future is headed.
Do you have tips on how to relieve stress quickly? Comment with your ideas.
