You’re busy, with little to no time to decompress. Life feels like a series of deadlines, long days, team-meetings and stress.
You love to work, challenge yourself and you get high on exceeding the goals you set, but you know your life is out of balance. You know this, because when you don’t take time to slow down you feel burned-out and irritable, your productivity suffers and your team is unhappy.
Nothing smart or healthy can come from exhaustion, stress and burnout. You know it.
Here are 5 simple ways to decompress, so you feel re-charged, less-stressed and more productive… and all the benefits it reaps!
1. Breathe deeply. Breathing deeply lowers stress because you bring in more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide. This sets off a cascade of chemical reactions that inhibit stress-producing responses between your brain and your central nervous system, for increased inner calm, focus, concentration and better decision-making.
2. Spend time in Nature. A simple walk in the woods, swim in the ocean, or a bike ride on a nearby trail can restore your mental energy, improve your short term memory and concentration, stimulate your creative thinking and improve your mood. Naturalist, John Muir said, “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
3. Turn off electronics 45-60 minutes before you go to bed. The National Sleep Foundation shows that light interferes with the natural circadian rhythms of the day-night cycle. When you safeguard your sleep hours, you safeguard the hours your body heals, regenerates and detoxifies. Arianna Huffington says, “It’s time to sleep your way to the top,” that exhaustion and burnout get in the way of great leadership and innovative thinking.
4. Time Blocking:
- Gives you greater control of your schedule, which reduces the stress you feel from your demanding lifestyle
- Blocks the many distractions that get in your way of focusing on your work, which reduces stress, increases productivity and gives you greater results
5. Laugh. Research from the University of Maryland Medical Center shows that if you laugh more, you’ll feel more emotionally balanced, productive and creative — laughter can offset the impact of mental stress because it releases a flood of neurotransmitters that stimulates your brain, your immune system and your nervous system. Laughter can even impact your team’s productivity and your company’s bottom!
Your Turn:
Which idea resonates most?
Will you take action with that idea today?
What will you do to make sure that action happens?
Let me know in the comments below.
And… if you enjoyed these ideas, you might also enjoy Five To Thrive, 5 Daily Habits Top-Achievers Use to Increase Energy by 30% In this guide, you’ll
- Discover the 5 common-sense things top-achievers do to create 30% more energy
- Learn the primary reasons you’re experiencing low energy and falling behind
- Start creating the energy you deserve, for increased focus and creativity
