Feeling Stressed? Overextended? Overwhelmed? We’ve got a few quick and easy ways you
can relieve some stress today:


1. Listen to Music. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a stressful situation, try taking a break
and listening to relaxing classical music. Playing calm music has a positive effect on the brain
and body, can lower blood pressure, and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress. try
listening to ocean or nature sounds. It may sound cheesy, but they display similar relaxing
effects to music.


2. Call a Friend. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break to call a friend and talk about
your problems. Good relationships with friends and loved ones are important to any healthy
lifestyle, and there’s no time that this is more evident than when you’re under a lot of stress.
A reassuring voice, even for a minute, can put everything in perspective.


3. Talk about—or write out—what’s worrying you. Writing or talking about the things that
prey on you—in a diary, with friends, in a support group or even a home computer file—helps
you feel less alone and helpless. One study, published in The Journal of the American Medical
Association, looked at people who had either rheumatoid arthritis or asthma— conditions
known to be stress-sensitive. One group chronicled in a perfunctory manner the things they
did each day. The other group was asked to write daily about what it was like, including fears
and pain, to have their disease. What researchers found: People who wrote at length about
their feelings had far fewer episodes of their illness.


4. Eat Right. Arm yourself with healthy snacks. Stress levels and a proper diet are closely related. Unfortunately, it’s when we have the most work that we forget to eat well and resort
to using sugary, fatty snack foods as a pick-me-up. Try to avoid the vending machine and plan
ahead. Fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids
have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress. A tuna sandwich really is brain food.


5. Practice Mindfulness. Focus on your senses a few minutes a day. From yoga and tai chi to
meditation and Pilates, these systems of mindfulness incorporate physical and mental
exercises that prevent stress from becoming a problem in the first place. Try joining a
class—many are free to try on the first day.



6. Exercise (Even For a Minute). Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean power lifting at the gym
or training for a marathon. A short walk around the office or simply standing up to stretch
during a break at work can offer immediate relief in a stressful situation. Getting your blood
moving releases endorphins and can improve your mood almost instantaneously.


7. Breathe Easy. The advice “take a deep breath” may seem like a cliché, but it holds true
when it comes to stress. For centuries, Buddhist monks have been conscious of deliberate
breathing during meditation. For an easy three- to five-minute exercise, sit up in your chair
with your feet flat on the floor and hands on top of your knees. Breathe in and out slowly and
deeply, concentrating on your lungs as they expand fully in your chest. While shallow
breathing causes stress, deep breathing oxygenates your blood, helps center your body, and
clears your mind.


8. Prep For Tomorrow. Nothing is more stressful than being unprepared. Get organized so
you’re ready for the next day, taking a few minutes to make a to-do list and clean up before
you leave. Knowing you’ve got everything covered means you’ll be less likely to fret about
work in the evenings. When you come in the next morning, you’ll have the sense that you’re
in control of the situation and can handle it. This sets a positive tone for the day, which can
help you get more accomplished.



9. Recall A Past Success. Taking five minutes to reflect on how you pulled through other
stressful situations like your last breakup or when you switched jobs can help you reconnect
with your resilient side. In the moment, it may feel as though you’ll never get over your
present problem, but when you look back, you realize that you felt similarly before and found
a way to overcome it. If you’re going through a divorce or recently lost a loved one, you also
may want to seek out a support group: Research on grieving presented by the Center for the
Advancement of Health in Washington, D.C., suggests that talking with peers is even more
beneficial than one-on-one counseling in the initial months after a loss.



10. Laugh It Off. Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and decrease levels of the
stress-causing hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Laughing tricks your nervous system into
making you happy. However, bursting into a fit of giggles at your desk may not be the most
appropriate way to deal with stress.



MBB

This PBCi Buzz post is part of our Mind, Body, & BUSINESS™ Series. As Entrepreneurs, what’s
happening in our Minds and Bodies – whether mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or physically –
directly impacts, and is connected to, the decisions we make in our businesses and how we
manage them.

Our Mind, Body, & BUSINESS™ series explores that connection by providing much-needed
tools, resources and support for our fellow Entrepreneurs.

Sources: Shape.com, Healthy Living Magazine, Glamour.com, American Heart Association
website