Relaxation techniques – Not again, please!

There are many components to living well: regular exercise, good nutrition, healthy relationships with others, not smoking and limiting your consumption of alcohol. Given that stress is a global epidemic with health professionals estimating that over 75% of diseases are aggravated or associated with stress, then another component to healthy living is stress management.

A little bit of stress is actually good for us – it motivates and inspires us to greater things. But as you know – too much stress is not pleasant! Whether it is the irate boss breathing down your neck, the demands of tight deadlines, financial concerns or the overwhelming responsibilities at work and home, stress can be a hassle!

This type of chronic stress can increases blood pressure, suppress your immune system and may be a contributing factor to a number of serious stress related illnesses. In essence the effects of stress, the type of stress that is unrelenting, are bad for you, your family and your business!

But there are a number of ways that you can combat stress – they may involve exercise (which has many more benefits than simply stress reduction); relaxation techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training and breathing exercises; and cognitive behavioral therapy which examines your underlying beliefs and behavior towards stress.

In fact there are plenty of ways to reduce stress!

However, I find that the biggest problem with clients that I work with is not so much the belief that stress management is good for you – but the practicalities of putting stress management techniques into a daily routine.

Every week there are times when I give my clients homework – try this relaxation exercise or that breathing technique. I then spend 20-30 minutes showing how it is done. Great – my job is done….right?

Wrong!

Well over half, perhaps even three quarters come back to me with a sheepish grin….”Umm I didn’t do the relaxation exercises this week….”

“I just couldn’t find the time”, “I had other things to do”…”I had to clean my house” are some familiar excuses I have heard.

Are stress management exercises not worth doing?…No Are they important for you and your health?…Yes

So why do so many of us put off doing stress management exercises. One of the biggest problems I find is just to get into the habit of doing them….it should be easy right? I know…I have been there…it is much easier said than done. There is always something more pressing to do! So how can we get into the habit of doing daily stress management or relaxation exercises to counter the effects of stress?

Here are some ideas:

Look for areas in your life where you can practice relaxation techniques. I travel to work by bus – this represents almost two hours of time each and every day to practice some relaxation exercises – although I advise you to stay away from progressive muscle relaxation – as you may get some funny looks when tensing and relaxing your facial muscles.

Give yourself a daily goal of practicing mindfulness. Even if you can’t seem to find time in the day – you are doing things in your life where you could bring yourself more into the present. Next time that you eat your breakfast or lunch. Rather than gulping it down while reading a report – actually taste the food. Take each bite with intention and focus on the sensation of eating – explore the taste, smell and texture. By focusing your conscious attention on the present activity you are less likely to dwell on the past or worry about the future.

Practice visualization. Again this is another one I do on my commute to work. While sitting in my bus, rather than looking out over the cars and city – which can be hectic at times, I close my eyes and go to my special place. I visualize my favorite beach, can hear the sounds of the waves, feel the wind in my hair and the warmth of the sand between my toes. I am in my special place – and this guided imagery can take me there whenever I choose.

Finding areas in your life where you can practice a new habit can mean the difference between taking control of stress or letting stress control you. Ultimately it is a choice that only you can make.