We’ve all been there – stressing out during our work day. Some days it’s manageable and other days it might be overwhelming.
It’s impossible to avoid all the stressors in our lives though. Fortunately, we can be intentional about taking steps to alleviate our stress.
For those who work from home, work hours can easily blend into your personal time. That’s why it’s especially important to be mindful of your stress level. The good news is you can take these 5 easy steps to de-stress your work day.
1. Take a deep breath
I know it sounds too easy to be true. But Harvard Medical School found that deep breathing can alleviate your stress responses. The extra boost of oxygen slows the heartbeat, stabilizes your blood pressure, and reduces body tension. The key to deep breathing is to slowly breathe through your nose, and let your stomach fully expand. Then slowly breathe out through your mouth or nose (whichever feels more natural to you).
2. Move your body
We’ve all heard that exercising boosts our endorphins – the feel-good chemicals. But it doesn’t mean you’re bound to strenuous exercise. Simply get up from your desk and move around. Thankfully, working from home means you can have a judgment-free 10-minute dance session. Maybe you prefer to take a walk instead or do some light stretching. Whatever it is, just make sure to get up from your seat and move around.
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3. Decaffeinate
Caffeine can induce the feeling of stress, so reach for a cup of caffeine-free tea instead of coffee. Chamomile is a popular caffeine-free tea that’s known for its calming effects. The natural ingredients found in chamomile tea and sipping on something warm will allow your body to calm down and relax.
4. Snack on stress-relieving food
There’s a strong connection between what we eat and our moods. Snacking on your favorite bag of chips might give us a temporary fix. But mindlessly snacking on these highly refined carbohydrates will lead to a crash. Take a moment and enjoy a few dark chocolate-covered almonds that have been shown to reduce stress hormone levels. Almonds are also considered an energy-boosting protein. Another easy stress-relieving snack is bananas. The high potassium helps regulate our blood pressure, alleviating our stress response.
5. Add plants to your workspace
There’s more to plants than you might know. A number of studies have shown that indoor plants can reduce your stress level and even increase productivity. They also improve the air quality and can stabilize humidity levels. While you’re working at home, give your eyes a break from the screen and admire nature’s beauty as well.
Article courtesy of Angel Lewis, Owner of RBS Virtual Services. RBS provides a variety of digital presence services but specializes in social media content creation and curation focusing on relationship building. Find out more at www.rbsvirtual.net
