When everything’s getting on top of you, give yourself a break. Here are some stress relievers that you can do quickly and easily.
Quick Tips:
- Take your mind off the problem – things are easier to cope with when you’re not at the peak of stress.
- Read a light magazine feature or the stars (but only believe them if they’re good).
- Make a cup of herbal tea and ring your best friend for some moral support.
- If you can’t get the worry off your mind, put your brain to work recalling one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, or counting backwards in threes from 100.
Timed relaxation techniques:
5 Seconds
Just enough time for some encouraging affirmations – positive messages to the subconscious to boost your confidence.
- Silently tell yourself “I’m doing well” and “I can easily cope with all this”. Never mind if you don’t believe it – say it as if you do.
- Repeat it a few times whenever you think of it. And if any mean inner voices start quibbling, imagine them coming from a radio and turn it off.
10 Seconds
- Stand straight and breathe in through your nose as you stretch your arms above your head, palms together.
- As you start breathing out through your mouth, turn the palms out and slowly bring the arms down beside you, reaching out with fingertips. As your arms come down, tell yourself “I’m perfectly calm”.
- If people are around, just pinch the web between your thumb and first finger (don’t do this if you’re pregnant) and breathe deeply.
20 Seconds
- With feet apart, breathe in deeply while you stand on your toes and clench all your muscles.
- Breathe out slowly while you sink to the floor and let everything relax.
- Don’t get extra stressed if you can’t balance on your toes -- just do all the rest.
30 Seconds
- Scrunch your face into a wicked scowl.
- Relax with your mouth hanging open.
- Repeat this two or three times, then put on a smile even if you don’t feel like it.
- Massage your scalp in little circles with the pads of your fingers.
- Relaxing the face and scalp keeps tension headaches at bay while the very movement of smiling sends calming signals to the brain.
1 Minute
- Laughter is a great stress reliever. Scan the cartoons in the newspaper or phone a telephone jokeline.
- Keep a book by your favourite funny person so you can read it when you’re feeling desperate, and re-read the parts that made you laugh the most.
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