A lot of my client calls have been focused on stress this week. I think we’re all feeling it. Most of the country (and even some of the world) is shut down due to COVID-19. There are a lot of unknowns and it is hard to know how to proceed.
I’ve put together a list of 15 stress management techniques (and how to do them) that may help you navigate this difficult time. I hope something on this list can be of benefit for you.
1. Deep Breathing - Sit in a comfortable position. Place one hand on the center of your chest and the other on your belly. Relax your face and jaw (teeth should not be touching). Relax your neck and drop your shoulders down. Inhale through your nose and imagine you are filling your belly with air. The hand on your belly will rise. Hold for one second. Exhale slowly and completely through your nose. The hand on your belly will fall. Pause for a second after your exhale. Repeat for 5 breaths.
2. Square Breathing - Sit in a comfortable position. Place your hands in your lap with your palms up. Relax your face, jaw, and neck. Drop your shoulders down. Inhale for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Repeat as necessary.
3. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana) - Sit in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Fold the index and middle finger down on your right hand (leaving your thumb, ring finger, and pinky up). Inhale. Place your thumb over your right nostril. Exhale out of your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Place ring finger and pinky over left nostril. Lift your thumb. Exhale out your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril. Place thumb over right nostril. Lift your ring finger and pinky. Exhale out of your left nostril. This completes one cycle. Continue breathing using the same pattern, alternating which nostril you exhale/inhale with. (This one can be tricky to understand. If you need a video, this is a great explanation!)
4. Affirmations - Affirmations can be combined with a breathing exercise for extra stress relief. Think of an affirmation as a slogan for what you’d like to remember in a stressful time. Affirmations are said in present tense. For example, “I am safe and calm” is more effective than “I will be safe and calm”. Speak as though what you want to achieve has already happened. This will help you manifest it. Repeat your affirmation as you exhale a deep breath.
Here are some examples of affirmations:
I feel calm and peaceful.
I am in control of my stress level.
I approach challenging times with positivity.
Life is happening for me.
I am grateful for an opportunity to slow down.
I believe in my ability to succeed in this situation.
5. Laugh - Really laugh. Laughing increases your intake of oxygen which stimulates your heart, lungs, muscles, and increases endorphins. It also boosts your immune system which we could all use right now. Pick 3-5 of your funniest memories/videos/memes that you can go back to whenever you need a stress relief boost. If you need some ideas, here are some of my favorites.
6. Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Take 3 slow, deep breaths. Extend your arms in front of you. Clench your fists and bend them back at the wrist. Feel the tension building in your wrist and forearm. Once you feel sufficient tension, relax your arms by dropping them to your side. Release the tension instantly. Feel the softness in your hands and forearms. Repeat exercise with different muscle groups. Notice the contrast between tension and relaxation. You can also tense all your muscle groups at the same time and then release them together
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7. Physical Activity - As we learned in Legally Blonde, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t!” So if you’re feeling stressed/trapped/ready to run away, get yourself some endorphins. It’s been shown that 10 minutes of brisk walking is enough to begin reducing stress. If you can’t get out for a walk, find ways to move inside your house. Check out the 7 Minute app by Down Dog for a fast, efficient at home workout!
8. Expressive Writing - Expressive writing is different from journaling. The purpose is to get your thoughts and feelings into words. Think about what has been stressing you. Write continuously for 15 minutes on that topic. Even if you feel finished before 15 minutes, don’t stop writing.. Don’t worry about if what you’re writing makes sense; just focus on getting your emotion out. Once you’ve finished writing, don’t reread it. You can tear it up or throw it away. What you write doesn’t actually matter. The purpose in writing is to get the thoughts out of your head.
9. Guided Imagery - It would be awesome if we could all go to the beach when we’re feeling stressed but for most of us, it’s sadly not an option. Imagery is a way to get to the beach when you can’t actually get to the beach. Imagine yourself in a place that you love. Focus on all the details. What does it smell like? How does the air feel? What sounds do you hear? If imagining is difficult, find a YouTube clip similar to the place you’re imagining. You can also find guided imagery videos on YouTube where a meditation is narrated for you.
10. Organize - Take a few minutes to organize a draw that could use some love. Straighten up your living room. Do the dishes. Often we feel stress when we’re lacking control. Organizing or cleaning an area gives you the ability to “fix” something. You feel a sense of control because you can physically see the impact that you can have when you organize. Our surroundings affect how we feel internally. When our environment feels peaceful, you’ll be able to feel more at peace.
11. Meditation - Meditation has physical and mental health benefits. It slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and encourages deep breathing (which engages your body’s stress relief systems). Meditation is about clearing your mind. Thoughts and feelings will arise but it’s important to recognize them and let them go, rather than getting caught up in them. If you’re interested in starting meditation, I’d recommend getting an app. Headspace and Calm both have free meditations that teach the basic skills of meditation.
12. Mindfulness - Mindfulness is living with intention and staying present in each moment. When you’re mindful, you live on purpose. Here is a small mindfulness exercise you can use to practice. Find a household item you see daily (a ring, pencil, nickel, etc). Hold the item and imagine you’re seeing it for the first time. What does it look like? How would you describe it? What textures do you notice? How does it smell? Use the item. What sensations do you notice? How does it feel? Zooming in on the details we miss due to familiarity can help us slow down and be more mindful in our day to day routine.
13. ABC Technique - This technique comes from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. When used for stress relief, it can help you develop greater optimism. ABC stands for Adversity, Beliefs, and Consequences. The idea is to consider how your beliefs are influencing your actions.
Adversity - Identify what is happening. What is causing the stress?
Beliefs - What are your beliefs around the event?
Consequences - How are you acting because of your beliefs?
What could you change about your beliefs in order to have a different consequence?
14. Practice Physical Self Care - It is easy to forget self-care when you’re stressed. Your mind and body are trying to decide between fight or flight; it’s not concerned with how much sleep you’re getting. Doing something to physically care for yourself has a grounding effect. Take a shower. Do your hair. Paint your nails. Take a nap. Eat something nourishing. Pay attention to what kind of physical care you need.
15. Punch Dance Your Rage Out - If none of these other tips sound helpful, this is your ace in the hole. If you need an explanation for this one, we need to chat. (If you decide to do this near a cliff, please be careful).
I hope you find some peace this week. Stay healthy and wash your hands.
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