Relaxation techniques are crucial for managing stress. Let’s talk about some techniques that you can use anywhere, any time.
Body Scan
In order to relax, we must first learn where, when, and how we store tension in our body. Does everybody know where they store their tension? It may be in the back, their neck, their stomach, or some other part of their body. How will they know? This part of their body reacts: they get a stiff neck, they get an upset stomach, or they have back pain. When you figure this out, you can also design remedies such as yoga, stretching, massage, warm baths, healthy eating, to help reduce their impact.
Breathing Through Your Diaphragm
Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, once said, “Our breath is the bridge from our body to our mind.”
Loosen your clothes, close your eyes, mentally relax your body, and take ten or more deep breaths. Your goal is to breathe into the bottom of your lungs (where the oxygen is readily absorbed), not the usual upper lung breathing we do. Put your hand on your stomach and feel it move as you breathe in in order to make sure you are getting the air in good and deep. We call this diaphragmatic breathing, because you are using your diaphragm muscle to breath. When people are experiencing anxiety they are most often breathing into the upper area of their lungs rather than the bottom.
Each time you exhale, count silently: “one,” after the first breath, “two,” after the second breath, etc., up to at least ten. If you lose count, or find yourself working on thoughts as they pass through your mind, start your count over again. When you are finished, you should feel more calm and relaxed. (Your blood pressure will go down temporarily too.) If you’re in a meeting, on the phone, or dealing with a customer, count in your head.
Stretching
Stretching has multiple benefits. It increases blood and oxygen flow in your body, as you focus on areas of your body and encourage yourself to be mindful of your movements, and relax your mind.
Visualization
Use positive imagery to boost your mood and enhance your visible performance. In your mind, picture a place that you love. Feel the sunshine on your face, or the breeze on your skin. See the things that you love to see in great detail. If you are getting ready for a presentation or an interview, visualize yourself performing it perfectly, so that when you get to the event your mind thinks you’ve done it before, so this will be even easier than the last time you did it (a technique used by athletes and peak-performance coaches).
Sensory Awareness
Shakespeare once said, “There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch without some pleasure.” Try to slow down and be more aware of your surroundings.
