Relaxation on the Go
In our busy and somewhat hectic lives, where the balance between work, family, personal goals, and the demands of everyday routines can sometimes leave us feeling stretched a bit thin, it’s important to find moments of stillness and relaxation. It can be difficult to find time that is undisturbed, where there isn’t someone on the phone or the next deadline looming. Throw in some New Year’s resolutions and needing to finish your taxes for the year and it’s easy to lose touch with our inner selves. Here is an easy way to ‘take 5’ and relax your body and mind a little. If you do this several times a day, the benefits really do add up and you’ll find you have more focus when it matters, and that everyday stress reduces. Here’s what you do:
1. Pause: Take a moment to stop whatever you’re doing.
2. Turn Inward: Close your eyes and shift your focus inward. Imagine you’re taking a ‘mental snapshot’ of your body from the inside. Spend a few moments to adjust your focus away from external activities and towards your inner state.
3. Tune into Your Body: With your eyes closed, ask yourself, “What do I notice?” Pay attention to any sensations, whether they’re feelings of tension, discomfort, or perhaps areas that are relaxed. Observe these sensations without judgement, just notice them.
4. Breathe Slowly: If you encounter any uncomfortable sensations, gently move that area by tensing and relaxing it or moving it around. Then, with slow, deliberate breaths, imagine sending your breath to one of these areas as you breathe in. Move to the next area if you have more than one.
5. Release Tension: As you exhale, imagine sending any stress and tension away. Repeat this breathing process a few times, letting each breath deepening your state of relaxation.
6. Gradual Return: When you feel ready, open your eyes, and take a moment to reacquaint yourself with your surroundings. Move slowly as you return to your activity.
7. Notice Change: Notice any differences in how you feel now compared to before the exercise.
8. Repeat: Repeat whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed during the day.
Incorporating this simple exercise into your daily routine significantly improve your well-being. By regularly taking these short breaks to reconnect with ourselves, we not only reduce our immediate stress, but we become generally more mindful and productive.
Let me know if you try this, what happened for you?
Raya
