How to bust stress in just 2 minutes!
When we think about alleviating stress we sometimes picture it as this long, elaborate process. Such as meditating for two hours a day or finding time to do a 20km hike to the top of a mountain just to escape the hustle (actually sign me up for that!). However busting stress can be as simple as taking 2 minutes out of your day to reset your levels.Here are six easy and effective ways to give anxiety the boot and help balance those stress hormones. Allowing you to get on with your day, feeling focused, fearless and full of confidence!
Do what comes naturally
Breathing is not rocket science; everyone clearly knows how to do it so there’s no need to overcomplicate the situation. Focusing on your breath will help lower your heart rate and blood pressure, balance your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and give you an overall sense of calm. So set a timer for 2 minutes, close your eyes (or don’t) then breathe in through your nose and exhale all the air out through your mouth, then just repeat until your timer chimes. Woosah…
Have a little stretch
When you’re stressed, your blood flow is restricted and can cause muscle tension. So just stretch it out! By stretching you stimulate the receptors in the nervous system and get the blood flowing. Then all you have to do is just sit back, relax and let that stress hormone production decrease ;)
See the humour in everything
Ever noticed how having a good laugh can make the world of difference to your mood? That’s because laughter releases endorphins, which are our body's feel-good chemicals. This plays a significant role in reducing stress hormone levels, plus it boosts T-Cell (immunity) production and can do wonders for toning your abs! Triple WIN! So go hang out with the funny girl/guy at work, ask your dad for his best ‘dad jokes’ or just Google ‘animals doing funny things’ and notice how good you feel after a giggle!
Raise that heart rate
Research has found many ways in which physical activity can have a positive effect on stress management. But did you know just 2 minutes of exercise that raises your heart rate, is enough to change your mood and relieve stress? Well you better believe it ;)Next time your stressed, try this cardio combo… 10 star jumps + 10 super fast squats + 10 high knees…REPEAT. Complete as many rounds as you can in just 2 minutes! This short burst will give you a surge of good neurotransmitters that will help get you zooming through that pile of work!
Shift your thoughts
Our mind can play a massive role when it comes to creating stress. Half the time our stress or fear stems from the way we perceive a situation as opposed to there being an actually threat. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sounds a little overwhelming but in a nutshell, it’s just a way of challenging and changing your thoughts to avoid feeling overwhelmed.So to apply this, focus on what’s stressing you out and see if there’s a way you can find a positive spin to help you embrace it and stop it working against you. Obviously this won’t apply to all of life’s ups and downs but it’s a great tool for dealing with the stress of change and high workloads.
Kick it old school: To-Do list style
Do you ever feel like you have million things to do and the reminders are just floating around in your head, wreaking all kinds of anxiety? Well there’s such an easy fix to this… just get it all down on paper! Absolutely everything that pops up, write it on a To-Do list in no specific order. Once you’ve got everything down you can then start ordering the list from ‘high priority’ right down to ‘the world won’t end if I do this tomorrow’.By de-cluttering your mind you’ll feel instant relief, which will allow you to focus on the tasks at hand. Also the act of ticking off this list will stimulate a release of happy hormones (serotonin, endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin) giving you an overwhelming sense satisfaction.