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Right from the traffic in the morning, to those endless meetings and back to traffic on your way home, the workplace is associated with stress and anxiety. But we have 7 simple methods of effectively reducing stress at the workplace, do give it a read!
Progressive muscle relaxation
There is ample research to show that PMR (progressive muscle relaxation) reduces stress and anxiety.
When you are feeling stressed, take a few minutes to relax all your muscles from the top of your head to your toes. All you have to do is contract and relax your muscles, and you can do this sitting right at your desk!
Breathe deep
Research reported by the NPR shows that breathing right has positive impacts on the digestive, cardiac and immune systems!
Take in a deep inhalation and your exhalation should ideally be three times as long as your inhalation. The best part of this is you can do it any time, without anyone noticing!
Try to make time for yoga in your daily routine
In a research conducted by Harvard University Medical Center, it is shown that yoga reduces stress and anxiety.
Some light yoga with breathing techniques will help you keep calm and have a productive day throughout. You can learn these yoga techniques by going to one of the numerous yoga classes, or could learn them from self-help CDs and videos.
Listen to music
Music is not just pleasurable, but is therapeutic too! Research by Stanford University, 2006, shows that music helps you relax in a stressful situation and takes your mind off the anxiety causing thoughts.
So plug in your headphones and listen to your favourite tunes for a few minutes.
Herbal and natural remedies
Research conducted by University of Maryland Medical Center proves that aromatic scents like lavender help alleviate stress and anxiety.
So use these soothing aromatic perfumes on a handkerchief that you can sniff during work, or better still, use these sort of air fresheners to help you keep calm.
Laugh
Research conducted by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research shows that laughing can help reduce stress.
So keep a reserve of funny jokes, comics and videos that you can refer to when you are feeling stressed. Laughing reduces endorphins that immediately reduces stress, leaving you with that light, giddy feeling.
Drink some tea
In research reported by Psychopharmacology it was revealed that drinking black tea lowers cortisol levels, which in turn reduces anxiety.
So convert your coffee breaks into tea breaks and notice the difference yourself!
