Stress Reduction Techniques

Employing different stress reduction techniques can help you cope more effectively with the stressors and hassles of everyday life.

Life seems to become more stressful every day. There's stress from work, from family, and collectively, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all that needs to be done. Luckily, there are stress reduction techniques available that can help curb and relieve some to these stressors.

Whether you are battling stress because you are sitting in traffic, or because you are trying to get dinner on the table at a reasonable hour, these techniques should help.

When employing some of these stress reduction techniques, remember to make them as enjoyable and easy as possible; these techniques should not be seen as a chore. The more pleasurable they are, the more apt you'll be to do them.

A lot of folks are afraid to meditate, either because they believe that they are doing it "wrong" or because it seems too difficult. Neither has to be the case. After all, what is mediation besides sitting quietly and taking the time to peer deeply into one's self? While it's true that this practice may feel intimidating, it doesn't have to be and the of meditation on the mind may be worth it. Try these steps:

• Try to find ten to fifteen minutes a day (either at the beginning or end of the day) where you can sit quietly and undisturbed. You can even set a clock so that you'll know exactly when the time is up.

• Begin by rubbing your hands briskly together until they begin to feel warm.

• Take you hands and place them over your face (as if you were covering your eyes) and breathe in three to six times.

• Put your hands down, slowly open your eyes and focus on one object in the room.

• As you gently stare at this object, begin to widen your gaze so that you can see other objects in the room through your peripheral vision, but don't remove your eyes from the original object.

• As you continue to do this notice any changes you see in the object (is it widening? Does it look brighter? Is the light shifting?).

• From there tell yourself, "I do not need anything at this moment to exist. My lungs fill with air, my heart beats by itself, and I have everything I need to exist".

• Next, see yourself doing something in the future that you would truly enjoy. This can be anything- writing a book, going out to lunch with friends, moving into your dream home, paying off your debt, etc.

A lot of individuals like this meditation technique because it allows your mind to be active; many people are intimidated by having to "empty" their minds.

By now, most of us know that exercising is a terrific way to greatly combat stress, but for whatever reason, we just don't do it as much as we should. The best way to get started on an exercise program is to gently remind yourself that you don't need to do a lot in order to reap the benefits. In fact, just walking for twenty minutes a day can help combat stress. The key to exercise, at least in the beginning, is consistency, not intensity.

With that in mind, go for a simple twenty minute walk most days a week. As you progress, you may get the urge to do more, like jog, or strength train. That's great, but remember, don't put any additional pressure on yourself – the twenty minute walk is good enough to reduce stress.

Sometimes stress is not external, but internal. You may feel unhappy about the direction of your life, or you may feel frustrated by some of your personal relationships. In instances like these, journaling or creating art may help to that stress. Creating is usually fun and it helps to channel one's frustrations. The wonderful thing about any art form is that it allows you to release pent up feelings without having to follow "the rules".

It is virtually impossible to feel stressed while enjoying yourself and laughter is a large part of that process. In light of this, why not get together with friends whose company you enjoy? Or, you can purchase tickets to a comedy club. The point is that it's important to set aside time to laugh and to enjoy one's self and the best part about it is that it doesn't have to cost any money. So, the next time you see a re-run of I Love Lucy, why not tune in? It may be just the stress reliever you were searching for.

There is not set method to reducing stress, but a whole myriad of activities that can help. This is a wonderful thing because it means that you get to decide which activity most suits your lifestyle and personality. Whether you choose to mediate or draw, the benefits of these activities are well documented. So, go ahead, and laugh! Don't you feel more stress-free already?

• Washable Meditation Cushions
• Alternative Anger Management Therapy
• Funny Stressful Clipart

• Anger Management Worksheets
• Mandalas for Meditation and Coloring
• Stress Management Lesson Plans
• Stress Management PowerPoint Presentation
• Free Guided Relaxation

• Workshops to Manage Stress
• Stress Management Lesson Plans
• Five Secrets to Managing Stress
• Main Page
• Stress Reduction Plan