8 Quick Stress Busters

Everyone has had that moment in a day when you just want everyone to leave you alone or when you'd just like the whole world to disappear. Being "stressed out" can lead to poor productivity, poor eating and sleeping habits, and downright ruin your day or your week. There are several simple stress relieving techniques that you can perform almost anytime, anywhere. If you just take a moment and follow a few of these tips you may find your day much improved and you better able to go on with your work or whatever you need to do.

1. Deep Breathing

Breathing deeply for a few minutes can be an excellent stress reliever. Take a moment to sit quietly somewhere with your hands in your lap and your eyes closed. Think about something calming, take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat about ten times and you will calm your mind, lower your heart rate, and give an oxygen boost to your whole system.

2. Talk to a friend

Take a few moments and call a friend. A friend might offer a solution, be a sounding board for your frustrations, or just remind you that you are not alone. You can talk about your stressful situation or about an entirely different matter; either way the conversation should provide some relief to your troubled mind, give you a new perspective, or just give you a break from negative thinking.

3. Do a Mini-workout

A short burst of physical activity can frequently break the stress cycle. Some mild stretches, arm, neck, and shoulder rolls, jumping jacks, or jogging in place for as little as 30 seconds can trigger the release of endorphins. When you are stressed your body produces the hormone cortisol. It's meant to aid you during the fight or flight response to danger by heightening your senses and improving the efficiency of your body. However, someone who is chronically stressed maintains a higher level of cortisol, leading to impaired mental function, weakened immune system response, blood sugar imbalances, and damage to many body systems. The endorphins released by even a short workout can counteract the cortisol and help bring your body back in balance.

4. Interact with Nature

People are often stressed by feeling there is not enough time in a day. Take some time to "smell the roses" figuratively if not literally. Take you coffee outside in the morning or eat your lunch outside in a park. If you can't go outside even focusing on a few green plants in your office can help. Or keep a beautiful nature landscape in your office and take a few minutes and concentrate on what it would be like to be there. Imagining the feeling of walking on warm sand, the sound of rushing water, the waves crashing against the rocks, or the wind rustling in the trees can produce a marked lessening of stress and help you refocus on your task.

5. Focus on Something to Make You Laugh

Research had found that laughter can also lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Keep a favorite joke book in your desk or a picture that reminds you of a funny family moment. Find a sight on the internet that you laugh at and bookmark it. Anything that will allow you to have a good laugh and break the cycle of stress can help.

6. Eat Something

If you are feeling stressed you might try eating something, especially if you skipped or skimped on breakfast. Don't choose something that will lead to a load of guilt later, that will only pile on more stress. Eat something with some protein and drink some water. A snack with protein will help you avoid the crash you would get later from downing that candy bar. Take a few moments, stop work, and relax. Take small bites and chew well, think of something pleasant or listen to some music. You might also try chewing gum. It can tame sugar cravings, produce more saliva to help with digestion, and increase oxygen flow to your brain.

7. Get Some Perspective

Some sources of stress can seem relatively minor when you put them in perspective. Sitting in traffic and being late to work because you had to bypass an accident scene may be stressful, but try to keep in mind how much worse it could be if you had actually been in the accident. Try to imagine the event that is causing your stress on a sliding scale of frustration. Is the thing you are worrying about a complete disaster that will effect you for days or weeks to come or is it a momentary frustration that you have faced many times and will continue to face in the future. You need to ask yourself if the event is truly distressing or just a minor stress that you are not handling well today.

8. Let It Go

If you had a disastrous day, where really minor frustrations overwhelmed your coping mechanisms, let it all go when you get home. Have a good meal, have some quality family or friend time, do something that gives you pleasure, indulge in a little treat before bedtime, and spend a quiet evening preparing for tomorrow, which will surely be a better day.

These quick stress relief techniques can be done almost anywhere and take only a few moments. When you are feeling overwhelmed take a break and concentrate on one of these techniques to short-circuit the stress cycle. Concentrate and focus on one of these stress busters and you may find the rest of your day going smoothly.