5 Tips to de-stress at work

Who gets stressed at work?  I would almost guarantee no one said “not me”.  Work can be very stressful and very unforgiving on our overall wellness and health.  Usually we either sit all day long or stand all day long.  I am not a fan of extremes in any case and both of these are extremes.  The tendency to spend time with your back hunched over the key board, running to and from meetings, skipping lunch, or eating at our desks is way too high.  To be honest I was one of those people before opening my practice.  It is hard to find time to recharge throughout the day. 
5 quick and tips to use throughout your work day distress can be the difference between frazzled, all of the place, with a headache you and focused productive you.  These have been tried true and tested by both myself and clients. 

1. Take  your lunch. Maybe it is literally a 10 minute lunch but take it.  Take it anywhere you can get away from the emails, phone, and demands of the day.  If that means going outside, break room, cafeteria, or stairwell do it.  Just take you lunch.  10 minutes isn’t going to make or break you.  The world will not collapse in 10 minutes but you will be able to reset and refocus making you a better employee. If you can take 30 minutes, take those 30 minutes! 
2. Take a breath.  Seriously do it, do it now.  Inhale, expanding your chest, your abdomen, filling up your lungs and exhale blowing out all that stale air, allowing your shoulders to relax down away from the ears.  How did that feel?  Now do it again.  1 more time. Inhale expanding your ribcage, pushing out your abdomen, exhale and say “Ha” as you push all that air out.  Sometimes we find ourselves holding our breath throughout the day which generates anxious energy. By taking a mindful breath you are allowing your heart rate to lower, filling your body with oxygen, and resetting your breath.  Maybe set an alarm on your phone or on your outlook calendars to cue you to take a breath. 
3. Take a walk.  Whatever that looks for you and your job.  Maybe you take a purposeful walk to the break room to get a water, the long way to the bathroom, going outside and strolling around the building, or taking the steps instead of the elevator.  Whatever that looks like for you just move. Example of why moving is so important.  In my old office the lights were on a timer and I could be sitting working on the computer so still that only my fingers were moving.  The lights would go off on me.  Literally I was sitting so still that lights thought no one was in the room.  That was my cue to stand up and move.  Our bodies are meant to be in motion not stagnate.
4. Stretch.  You don’t have to do a yoga class at your desk to be able to reap the benefits of stretching.  This plays very nicely off of moving and allowing our bodies to be in motion.  Run through all of the poses below are pick just one, but stretch and move.  When we don’t move our muscles get stiff and tense which causes lower back pain, shoulder pain, and tension headaches to name a few things.  

 
 
Shoulder Shrugs
Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders forward.
  Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders forward.
  Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders forward. 
Reverse your direction
Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders backwards. 
Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders backwards. 
Inhale lift your shoulders to your ears, Exhale roll your shoulders backwards. 
 
 
 
Neck Rolls
Tuck your chin.  Inhale, roll your chin up to the right.
Exhale, Roll  your chin back to center. 
Inhale, roll your chin up to the left.
Exhale, roll your chin back to center.
Inhale, roll your chin up to the right.
Exhale, Roll  your chin back to center. 
Inhale, roll your chin up to the left.
Exhale, roll your chin back to center.
Inhale, roll your chin up to the right.
Exhale, Roll your chin back to center. 
Inhale, roll your chin up to the left.
Exhale, roll your chin back to center.
Inhale, untuck your chin.
 
 
 
 
Wrist Stretch
Inhale, extend your right arm in front of you. Fingers point towards the ceiling. Place the palm of your left hand against the palm of your right hand.  Exhale gently press your right hand with your left hand.   Take 3 breathes.
Exhale release your hand.  Roll your wrist.
 
Inhale, extend your left arm in front of you. Fingers point towards the ceiling. Place the palm of your right hand against the palm of your left hand.  Exhale gently press your left hand with your right hand.   Take 3 breathes.
Exhale release your hand.  Roll your wrist.
 
 
Chair Pigeon
Both feet flat to the floor.  Inhale, place your left ankle across your right knee.  Exhale, engage your left knee down towards the floor without moving your ankle from your knee.
Take 3 breathes.
Exhale release your ankle of your knee, bringing both feet flat to the floor.
 
Both feet flat to the floor.  Inhale, place your right ankle across your left knee.  Exhale, engage your left knee down towards the floor without moving your ankle from your knee.
Take 3 breathes.
Exhale release your ankle of your knee, bringing both feet flat to the floor.
 
 5. Identify things that give you energy.  We all have things that drain us and we all have things that give us energy.  For example, maybe it is a great playlist, motivational quotes, or family pictures to name a few.  When we can surround ourselves and our space with what gives us energy we all ourselves to recharge.  It helps to counteract all those energy zappers and drains in our lives.  In my office I have a few pictures, an essential oil diffuser, and items in soothing blue color tones.  All these things calm my nervous system and gives me energy which helps me to focus and be the best I can be.