Chill Pills
21 ways to reduce workday stress
Saki Santorelli The Family Therapy Networker (www.familytherapynetwork.com)
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Take a few minutes in the morning to be quiet and
meditate. Sit or lie down and be with yourself. Gaze out the
window, listen to the sounds of nature, or take a slow, quiet walk.
2. While your car is warming up, take a minute to quietly
pay attention to your breathing.
3. While you're driving, become aware of body
tension--hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, shoulders
raised, stomach tight. Consciously work at releasing and dissolving
that tension. Does being tense help you drive better? What does it
feel like to relax and drive?
4. Don't play the radio; be with yourself.
5. Stay in the right lane and go 55 miles per hour.
6. Pay attention to your breathing or to the sky and
trees when you're stopped at a red light or a toll plaza.
7. After parking your car at your workplace, take a
moment to orient yourself to your workday.
8. At your desk, your keyboard, or your spot on the
production line, monitor your bodily sensations and tension levels
and consciously attempt to relax and let go of excess tension.
9. Use your breaks to truly relax rather than simply
'pause.' For example, instead of having coffee and a cigarette,
take a two- to five-minute walk, or sit at your desk and
recoup.
10. At lunch, change your environment.
11. Try closing the door (if you have one) and taking
some time to consciously relax.
12. Decide to stop for one to three minutes every hour
during the workday (if you can). Become aware of your breathing and
bodily sensations. Use this time to regroup.
13. Use the everyday cues in your environment--the
telephone ringing, turning on the computer--as reminders to
'center' yourself.