\nBy Leigh Anne Jasheway<\/a><\/h2>\n
Have you ever eaten a frozen dinner without thawing it out first?\u00a0 The last time you had your blood pressure measured, did the cuff explode?\u00a0 Are there teethmarks in your steering wheel?\u00a0 Is Tums\u00ae your favorite pizza topping?\u00a0 Then you just might be over-stressed!<\/p>\n
Chances are if you\u2019re a woman and you\u2019re still alive, you\u2019ve got more stress in your life than you need.\u00a0 But you probably don\u2019t have a lot of time to manage it either.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve ever fast-forwarded through a relaxation CD, you know what I mean.\u00a0 What you need are quick, easy, and FUN stress breaks you can squeeze in between your family, your job, your social commitments, and that nice long coma you\u2019ve scheduled instead of a vacation.<\/p>\n
Try some of these:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stop on the way home from work and read funny greeting cards.\u00a0 There are so many different types of humor in greeting cards, you\u2019re bound to get a quick laugh \u2013 and laughter is one of the best ways to release your stress and move on.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Give the family pet a rubdown from ears to tail.\u00a0 Studies show that not only will your blood pressure and heart rate slow down, so will your pet\u2019s!<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep a gel-pack in the freezer and when the tension of the day shows up in your neck, tell it to chill out!<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prune an unruly plant.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t control your boss or your kids, at least you can get a plant to behave!<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Burn a candle in a scent that soothes, like vanilla or chocolate chip.\u00a0 If burning a candle isn\u2019t advisable (if you\u2019re in the car, for example, and might start a fire on your dashboard), spritz a room freshener in the same scent.<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Get a coloring book and color outside the lines.\u00a0 And always ask for your own crayons at restaurants that offer them to the kids.<\/p>\n
7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take a walk around the block and see how many things make you laugh.<\/p>\n
8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clean out one drawer in your house.\u00a0 You\u2019ll get a sense of accomplishment and no matter what else went wrong today, you can at least feel slightly more organized!<\/p>\n
9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Write a love letter to one of your kids to stick in his or her lunch.\u00a0 Turning your mind to the delightful things about your family instead of the crazy-making things can help you feel less overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
10.\u00a0 Grab a jar of Play-Doh or some modeling clay and squish it through your fingers.\u00a0 Imagine you\u2019re squeezing the stress right out of your day.\u00a0 It works for young children!<\/p>\n
11.\u00a0 Start a \u201cBest Things\u201d journal.\u00a0 Every day, write down the best thing that happened to you all day.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter how big or small; the idea is to focus on the positive and let go of some of your negative energy.<\/p>\n
12.\u00a0 Use a lip balm or stick scented with relaxing essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and green tea.\u00a0 Or one that just makes you smile \u2013 try chocolate or bubble gum (you can find some at Chocolate-sensations.com or Adorebeauty.com)<\/p>\n
13.\u00a0 Close your eyes and visualize yourself in a moment when you laughed so hard you couldn\u2019t stop, like that time you walked down the hall with the toilet seat cover tucked in your pantyhose.\u00a0 You\u2019ll probably get a good laugh again just thinking about the moment.<\/p>\n
14.\u00a0 Teach your kids your favorite childhood game.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to stay focused on the problems of the day when you\u2019re playing Red Rover or Twister\u2122.<\/p>\n
15.\u00a0 Sing in the shower.\u00a0 Singing is a great way to release tension and letting the water wash away your cares at the same time doubles the stress-managing impact.\u00a0 Besides with the water running your kids won\u2019t be able to complain about your version of Girls Just Want to Have Fun!<\/p>\n
16.\u00a0 On your next break at work, swap neck and shoulder massages with a co-worker.\u00a0 If you work at home, do it with a neighbor or one of the kids.<\/p>\n
17.\u00a0 Talk in a softer voice.\u00a0 Don\u2019t whisper because that will actually strain your vocal chords.\u00a0 But if you talk softly (no big stick needed), studies have found that you\u2019ll actually feel calmer and less anxious.\u00a0 That\u2019s one of the reasons we feel more peaceful when talking to a baby or a puppy \u2013 our tone of voice affects our heart rate and sense of well-being.<\/p>\n
18.\u00a0 Keep a book of funny stories or jokes nearby so when the stress hits the fan, you can laugh it off.\u00a0 You might want to check out a book by Dave Barry, Erma Bombeck, Bill Cosby, or moi, or a book of cartoons such as The Far Side, Calvin & Hobbs, Stone Soup, etc. from the library to get started. 19.\u00a0 Repot a plant.\u00a0 There\u2019s something grounding about putting your fingers in dirt.\u00a0 Ask your dog.<\/p>\n 20.\u00a0 Write your five, ten, or fifty biggest worries on giant marshmallows and invite your friends to have a \u201csnowball\u201d fight.<\/p>\n 21.\u00a0 Make it a family tradition to have each member of the family tell you a funny joke at dinner every night.\u00a0 Not only will everyone get a chance to lighten up, but by encouraging your kids\u2019 senses of humor, you\u2019ll be helping them develop good stress management skills for the future.<\/p>\n 22.\u00a0 Hula hoop or jump rope.\u00a0 You\u2019ll get a quick burst of exercise \u2013 which will help produce endorphins and make you feel better all over \u2013 and you\u2019ll get in touch with your inner child too.\u00a0 You remember her, right?<\/p>\n 23.\u00a0 Put today\u2019s biggest stressor on a sheet of paper in big red letters.\u00a0 Then run the page through your shredder.\u00a0 As it gets ripped apart, imagine the stressor itself disappearing.<\/p>\n 24.\u00a0 Update the photos you keep on your desk or on the fireplace mantel.\u00a0 Searching for just the right photos will bring back happy memories and the break will help slow down the hectic pace of your day.<\/p>\n 25.\u00a0 Have some milk and cookies.\u00a0 If you can squeeze in another ten minute, have a nap too.<\/p>\n 26.\u00a0 Get the whole family to play the board game, Don\u2019t Make Me Laugh (available at Areyougame.com).\u00a0 I dare you not to forget your troubles while you play.<\/p>\n 27.\u00a0 Go barefoot.\u00a0 Feeling the grass between your toes or even the fuzzy carpet tickling your arches will help take your mind off your troubles for a few minutes.<\/p>\n 28.\u00a0 Have your teenager teach you the latest dance craze.\u00a0 Try to be a good student and not break up laughing halfway through the lesson.<\/p>\n 29.\u00a0 Start a list of good excuses for saying \u201cNo\u201d the next time you really want to.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m having the ficus tree neutered.\u201d \u201cThe voices in the head have been grounded.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m trying to be LESS popular.\u201d<\/p>\n 30.\u00a0 Soak your feet in Mr. Bubble.<\/p>\n Trying to fit stress management into your day doesn\u2019t have to stress you out.\u00a0 If you try some of these tips, you\u2019ll be calmer and better able to cope with your life.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2007 Leigh Anne Jasheway. Used by permission. Go to her site here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n For more from author Leigh Anne Jasheway, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Don't](\"https:\/\/wholeperson.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/DontGetMadGetFunny-200x300.gif\")
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