Getting To Done: De-stress yourself, Part 2 - Relax

by Keith Robinson

Part one of De-stress yourself covered some ways to set yourself up for a less stressed life. Today I'll go over some ways to combat stress on a day to day basis.

Relax, people!

To live a balanced life you've got to be able to take time out from the rush. Slow down and smell the roses and all that. You've got to relax. Earlier this week we posed the question, how do you relax? to our readers and we got some great answers.

From "Don't underestimate the power of your bathtub!" to "Any Grand Theft Auto. Blowing away people is the path to inner self" - the answers were all over the board and all kinds of interesting.

Take time out every day

It's very easy to get on a roll and work, work, work. However, as productive as this might be at times, it doesn't come without a cost. Make sure you spend some time each day, even if it's just a few minutes, relaxing in your own way.

If you're like me and tend to ride that productivity train until it crashes, set a reminder, or schedule time out for a nap (use Pzizz - it's great!). Trust me, you'll be glad you did. In fact, I'm going to do that right now!

Ahh, back and refreshed. By taking time out every day you'll probably find you're actually more productive than you were before. I've noticed that in my own work. I used to work until burnout and you know what? It took me longer to do things. I didn't work near as smart, was less engaged and generally unhappy about it. I still go through that occasionally and it almost always helps just to take a breather. Speaking of...

Learn how to breathe

One of the best things you can do to help you relax, especially during stressful situations, is learn how to breathe. In fact, you need to do it. Have you ever been so stressed out you almost passed out? I have, very recently in fact, and it was because I forgot to check my breathing during a stressful time. Once I did and slowed down my breathing, taking deep breaths, I felt so much better. In turn I was able to work through my stress much easier.

It's not the end of the world

Sometimes our day-to-day stresses can seem like huge monsters in the room. I know this is true for me and it can be hard to remain calm when life seems to be beating you down. It's a good idea to try and look at things objectively, even if they're having a significant impact on you. Remember that tough times do pass.

Laugh and have fun

If your work is making it so you can't enjoy the things you love then you probably should start looking for a new job. Ideally you'd do what you love, but for some people that's not an option. "Work to live, don't live to work." It's a saying that means something. You simply can't do your best work when you're all stressed out all the time. Be sure and make time for fun and laughter.

A few more relaxation tips

  • Listen to music you love. I know this helps me.
  • Get out of the dark. Working in a well-lit area helps quite a bit.
  • Exercise. A big of rigorous activity every day is ideal. If that's not possible, at least get up and take a walk around the block to get air, clear your head and get the blood flowing.

D. Keith Robinson is the Creative Director at Blue Flavor.