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Family Services - Stress Relief Techniques

Are you stressed and in need or relaxation but can't seem to find the time to relax? "If only I had time to relax. Trying to fit one more activity into my day stresses me out!" This is a comment frequently heard. It is true that life is running at a faster pace than ever before but by practicing relaxation skills you can keep in control. The following is a list of 20 relaxation exercises that take 10 minutes or less. Try to put aside 10 minutes in your day to take care of yourself and relax.

  1. Write in a journal. Don't stew about what to write, just write what you are thinking
  2. Listen to a guided meditation CD (available to be borrowed from Chatham-Kent Consumer & Family Network)
  3. Listen to soothing music
  4. Get up early and let the early morning sun shine on you. The early sun is the best sunshine for improving mood
  5. Look through a photo album
  6. Brush your hair, or better yet have someone else brush it
  7. Practice deep breathing
  8. Draw, paint or colour
  9. Count backwards from 100 to 1 slowly
  10. Take a short walk
  11. Use the essential oil of lavender to burn in a diffuser, massage into the skin or inhale on your pillow or on a cloth
  12. Do an all over body stretch
  13. Pet your dog or cat
  14. Shrug your shoulders 5 times to release tension
  15. Stop what you are doing for 3 minutes and focus on a past vacation or your favourite place to be. Indulge all your senses in the memory. Remember the smells, the tastes, the sounds, the feel and the sights of your most favourite place
  16. Lie on the couch and close your eyes. You don't need to sleep just relax your muscles and mind
  17. Stare at your fish tank
  18. Buy a book of short stories and read one story at a time
  19. Set a simple goal for yourself and accomplish it. For example, call the dentist and make that appointment you have been procrastinating. By doing small jobs it relieves the worry of trying to remember everything that needs to be done
  20. Give yourself a face or hand massage

Many of these exercises take 10 minutes or less. By starting small and completing one exercise a day you may soon find that you look forward to your daily relaxation break. Learning to put more relaxations into your life takes practice and commitment. Start small and start by actually scheduling an appointment with yourself. Treat it like you would treat any other important appointment. Let your family know that the next 10 minutes are for you and that you don't want to be interrupted. Perhaps the family might even want to try some of the exercises so that everyone can relax together. After all, at the end of our lives very few people will ever say "wish I would have worked more and relaxed less".