Stress

Top 10 Relaxation Techniques to Improve Your Life

Author: Ronnie Nijmeh, ACQYR.com

Feeling stressed? Take a look at these 10 relaxation techniques you can easily use to reduce your stress, be more productive, and have more energy each day.

10 Easy Ways to a Calmer Day

1. Get some exercise! Getting out and physically moving around is one of the best stress relaxation techniques to help you deal with any stressful situation. Exercise not only gets you away from the sources of your stress, it releases endorphins that will lighten you mood and help you feel calmer.
   
   
2. Get up and dance! Find some music you love and get your groove on. This stress relaxation technique not only exercises your body, it allows you to get away from all of your stress and frustrations, and have some fun!
   
   
3. Take a long walk along the beach. Sure, this is a cliché that drums up images of newlyweds in sandy formal wear, but you can use this relaxation technique too. Being near the water has a calming effect - put your toes in the sand and listen to the waves lapping along the shore, and you'll feel your stress melt away, seriously!
   
   
4. Gather your friends and play a game. Whether it's Charades, Trivial Pursuit, or some other game, shutting off the television and playing a game will tickle your funny bone and lighten your mood. It’ll help your friends relax as well.
   
   
5. Read a funny book. You probably spend so much time reading dry, boring material at work that you've forgotten how to read for fun. Visit your local library or bookstore and pick up a book from the Humor section. Books by favorite humor authors like Dave Barry and Erma Bombeck, as well as lesser known authors like Christopher Moore and Terry Pratchett, will help melt away stress and make you feel more relaxed. You'll discover brilliant new authors and enjoy some great laughs too!
   
   
6. Take some time to meditate. Meditation is not just for Buddhist monks and new agers. Sit quietly in a space away from your work and your family, close your eyes, and focus all of your attention on your breath, or on the dancing flame of a candle. This is one of the best stress relaxation techniques to start and end your day - you'll be more focused, feel less stressed, and sleep better, too.
   
   
7. Take a class and learn something new! We humans crave new knowledge and experiences. Think of something you've always wanted to try, like ceramics, playing the cello, or salsa dancing, and sign up for a class. You'll meet new people and learn a new skill while enjoying yourself.
   
   
8. Do some spring cleaning, any time of year. Clutter makes us feel disorganized and out of control, which stresses us out. Take a weekend, or even a couple of hours, to get rid of the things you no longer need and organize your home or office. You'll get some physical activity, have a more organized environment, and feel better!
   
   
9. Call an old friend. Think of a friend you haven't talked to in a while, and give him or her a call. You'll have fun reconnecting, reminiscing about the good ol' times, and planning new adventures.
   
   
10. Plan a trip, and stick to your plan. We all need to get away from time to time, to give our minds and bodies the chance to rejuvenate. You'll have fun planning the details of your trip, and more fun when you actually go!

Published: January 31, 2008

Ronnie Nijmeh is the president of ACQYR and the author of Stress Busters, a stress toolkit packed with solutions, worksheets and strategies adapted to your life. To learn more about Stress Busters, visit: http://www.acqyr.com/ACQYR_Stress_Busters. For more stress articles, visit: http://www.acqyr.com/Stress_Articles

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