Micro-Stress Management: Today’s Answer to the Lack of Time to Relax
Everyone can relate to experiencing stress in one form or another. Stress management techniques are known to be incredibly effective- when they are used… Many people who are stressed just can’t find the time required to do a full relaxation technique or do a yoga class. Micro-stress management can be a less daunting and effective solution.
Micro-stress management involves taking little bites out of stress on a frequent basis throughout the day. One effective micro-stress management tool is called conscious breathing. This technique involves taking a mere 30 seconds of every hour of the day to breathe consciously.
At the exact time each hour, simply bring your complete awareness to your breath. It is preferable but not essential that you close your eyes. Be aware of your breath and the process of inhalation and exhalation. Notice how your chest and abdomen move. Gently direct the breath to flow in and out in a gentle and regular fashion from the abdomen. Repeat it for 30 seconds and return to what you were doing. This technique can be done at your desk, in a meeting, while walking from one office to another, while doing groceries, or in the car. It can be done just about anywhere- even in public without anyone ever taking notice.
You may realize that this short pause is sufficient to start feeling the benefits of relaxation. Your entire nervous system will slow down, and your brain will be lightened and de-cluttered. It may quiet the busy-ness of your mind and give you more mental sharpness. With a clearer mind, you’ll gain energy and then the rest will seem to fall into place. This pause will remind you that you are a human being, not a walking stress machine, and stress-related problems will seem easier to tackle. This technique is not meant to put you to sleep, but merely to "take the edge off" your anxiety. When repeated throughout the day, and then throughout the week, you’ll see that you feel more equipped to handle stressful situations more effectively. Obviously this technique may not solve your stress problem but it will provide you with a simple tool to give you a better handle on stress. If you find that 30 seconds is not enough, try it for 60 seconds every hour.
Regular practice of this conscious breathing technique is a great way to improve overall health and well-being, promote a stronger immune system, and improve your ability to counter the effects of stress. Waiting until the end of the day to relax isn’t always enough to overcome the negative impact of stress. It is often stressful in itself to find the time, the 30 minutes per day, to decompress. However, training your body and your mind to recognize its need to unwind a little every hour will encourage you to gain more awareness on the effects of stress on your body and how to deal with them effectively and quickly. If practiced often enough, your body will develop an appetite for slowing down; in the same way it knows it gets hungry for food at a certain time of day.
Just imagine how 30 seconds of slow and regular breaths per hour can help your entire nervous system slow down and in turn, help your health, job, interactions with others, and overall life satisfaction. Learning to breathe consciously will become habitual and you’ll soon see that saving your energy for all the pleasurable moments in life is a lot more rewarding than wasting it on stress!
© Stephane Bensoussan, M.A., Holistic Psychologist, 2004
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