Relaxation Strategies for the Busy Professional
America is a productive nation with an impressive gross national product. However, this overall success may come at a cost. Many busy professionals sacrifice their peace of mind and ability to relax to accomplish and/or maintain success. Consider the following relaxation strategies for stress reduction and to increase relaxation:
Deep breathing: Deep breathing correctly can reduce the heart rate and relax the body. It is very difficult to experience stress if the body is very relaxed. Yoga has been found to be helpful for some individuals in learning to breathe correctly and rhythmically therefore relaxing the body.
Reconstruct negative thoughts: Believe it or not, negative automatic thoughts are a common part of everyday life. Those who learn to challenge their negative automatic distorted thoughts and replace them with more positive realistic ones, experience improved mood states overall.
Exercise: Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise plan. Exercise
Nutrition: Consult with your doctor about cutting back on sugar, caffeine, and any other stimulants that may produce adrenaline in the body. Adrenaline can cause stress and anxiety in the body thereby making it difficult to relax.
Visual imagery: Visual imagery has been proven to reduce stress and promote relaxation. There are many guided visual imagery exercises on audio CD’s available for purchase. Some people find it particularly helpful to listen to guided imagery while trying to sleep.
Journaling: This can be a great way to externalize stressful or other difficult feelings. Many people report that journaling their difficulties and intense emotions assists in providing relief.
Progressive relaxation: Progressive relaxation involves focusing on different parts of the body and their relaxation. Progressive relaxation exercises are widely available for purchase on CD.
Massage: There are many different types of relaxing massage available. Perhaps the most popular is the Swedish massage. Massage can assist in loosening and relaxing tense muscles.