4 QUICK WAYS TO DESTRESS – WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR DESK!

You know what else you can do at your desk besides work? You can give yourself a much-needed break and destress. That’s right – the very same place that is giving you all that stress is also the same spot where you can unwind, recharge and come back to work more productive and alert. Because sometimes you just don’t have the time to hit the gym, go for yoga or even talk a walk around the office to take a break and grab a snack.

Start with these four simple ways to destress at the desk.

#1 Give your ears a massage
You read that right: According to traditional Chinese medicine, ear massages help relieve stress and anxiety. To do this, you need to massage your ears gently at the Shen Men point – that’s right in the middle of the upper third of your ear. Or you can massage your earlobes and work your way up and around the outer shell of your ear for the same relaxing effect.

#2 Colour away!
You know how some people go to the gym during lunch time? Well, if you can’t afford the time (or the money) to do so, try this instead: Get yourself an adult colouring book and create a “masterpiece”. The reason adult colouring books have become so popular these days is because it lets you rest your brain for a while and can be a meditative activity, which is exactly what you need when you’re feeling stressed out. A few minutes colouring can help you refocus if you’re feeling slammed with work. Just don’t spend the entire day colouring and not work though!

#3 Breathe in, breathe out
You know how when you are stressed, you hold your breath? To destress, you need to do the opposite, which is to take a deep breath and then slowly breathe out. It’s the oldest destressing trick in the book but you can up the game by doing this while you’re focusing on your breath: Breathe in and imagine the air filling up your stomach. Push your stomach outwards and then pull it back in to slowly breathe out. Repeat for five times.

#4 Give it a good streeeeettttcchhhhh.....
Deskbound? You can still relax your body without going anywhere. Meditate! Start by tensing and slowly releasing the muscles in your toes. Then work your way up your body by tensing and releasing the muscles in your feet, your legs, your torso, arms and neck. You can also do that same with your face by opening and closing your mouth.

Photo by Rima Kruciene on Unsplash