It doesn’t matter whether you work in an office cubicle or chasing little ones around your house, some days are more hectic and stressful than others. And when you’re in the midst of it, taking a half hour to yourself to reset and recharge isn’t always realistic. But you can sneak in some time for a quick mental health break to boost your mood and nurture your body and mind.
These are some quick and easy ways to give yourself some TLC during the day:
- Mindfully eat lunch – Step away from your screens and devices and slowly enjoy your food, focusing on the smells and texture of each bite while your brain resets.
- Connect with loved ones – Check in with a quick text or call to the people you care about and you’ll raise your body’s oxytocin levels, which can produce a feeling of calm.
- Take a walk at lunch – Go outside and get moving for a few minutes midday to soak up some vitamin D and fresh air. Mental health therapist Imani Crawford says research shows that walking can help us mentally process our emotions and stressors.
- Use red lights on your commute to your advantage – Turn red lights into a quick opportunity to relax. Unclench your jaw, lift your shoulders up and then push them back and slip them down, and take some slow, deep breaths.
- Do a brain dump – If your thoughts are racing and you’re feeling scattered, stop and jot down everything that’s on your mind. Keep writing until you’ve got all your worries, tasks and concerns on paper and then you can move on from stressing about them and focus on work.
- Switch to analog – Instead of grabbing your phone, try a screen-free activity when you need a quick break. Doodle, write or do some knitting to exercise your brain in a different way.
- Do some small stretches – Stretch at your desk or when you get up to walk somewhere, like on your way to and from the car, to relieve tension in your body and ease stress.
- Take 21 breaths – You probably don’t have time for a 45- minute meditation session in the middle of the work day, but you can squeeze in time to take 21 deep breaths. Peter Piraino, who runs a drug treatment facility, explains it’s a quick way to get centered, takes less than a minute and can be done anywhere at any time. Just close your eyes, breathe in through your nose, then out through your mouth and he says you’ll lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting serotonin, the happiness hormone.
Source: Huff Post