12 Quick Tips That Reduce Stress ..in 5 Minutes

1. Positive Mental Attitude - Encourage only Positive thoughts all day.
Here are a few suggestions

I am just over reacting again...
This too will pass...Don't take it too personally...
I am only human...
I can only control myself not others...
It isn't really that bad...

Reduce Stress

2. Take time out - Five minutes of conscious breathing.

Make sure your shoulders are relaxed and breathe in through your nose rather than your mouth. As you breathe in, feel your stomach rising but keep your shoulders relaxed. Hold your breath for a count of five and then let the breath out through your mouth. You'll be amazed at the difference this simple daily 5 minutes exercise will make to your life.

3. Identify the sources of stress in your life.

It's much easier to manage stress if you know what's stressing you. It's not always easy, however, to identify the true sources of our own stress. A lot of our stress, for example, is caused by the thoughts and feelings we have about a situation rather than the situations themselves. We need to look both to the people and situations in our life - but also to the assumptions we make about what our expectations are.

4. Express and/or explore your feelings instead of bottling them up.

It's very easy to be stuck inside a certain pattern of thinking or attitude towards our current life. Spend some time exploring your feelings and the reasons why you really feel that way.

5. Get the effects of a holiday away with some powerful visualization.

Think of a place (imaginary or real) that fills you with fun, entertainment, joy and relaxation. Close your eyes and imagine being transported to this place. See the place in your mind's eye. Feel the sun or water or luxurious toweling robe on your skin. Smell the sea or the fresh mountain air. Feel yourself being filled with a deep relaxation. This is the place for you to escape to, whenever you feel stressed. Just close your eyes and spend five minutes at your own private resort.

6. Wake up a little earlier - Begin the day unrushed.

Prepare ahead the night before, take charge ahead of your day so that you feel more in control.

7 Go for a walk.

Whenever you feel stressed, go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Go to the park, watch the birds or count the stars in the sky at night these can really help change your mood.

8. Know that you have only 24 hours a day.

A lot of times we get stressed because we're so busy or overloaded. Half the reason you're feeling so bad may be because you're beating yourself up about all the things you haven't been able to finish. Focus on what you have done and already achieved today.

9. Know that even when things go wrong, its for your own good.

Many people get stressed when things go wrong. When this happens focus on what has gone right today and all the good things you've achieved that day.

10. Take 5-minute mini-breaks and Enjoy this Me-time.

Make sure you take breaks frequently, sit down and do nothing but drink a nice cup of tea or look through beautiful pictures in a book, watch a short fun and entertaining program on Tv, not a stressful program.

11. Find time to relax!

You're not a machine. Your body needs rest and time to rejuvenate. When your schedule is too busy you're definitely going to feel stressed. For your ongoing health and survival... Relaxation time must be scheduled in too.

12. Practical and Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise.

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and close your eyes, make sure youre alone for at least five minutes, take a deep breath and slowly let it out all the stress and tension, as if you're blowing them out through your teeth. With your eyes closed throughout, your aim is to release the tension in every muscle in your body, focus on one part (set of muscles) at a time.

Start from your the toes, then the calf muscles, then the thighs then so on and so until you reach your face and your scalp. For each part, start by tensing or flexing each muscle for a few seconds then letting them go and relaxing them. Linger for a few more seconds as you feel more and more tension flowing out and more deep relaxation flowing in. Just whisper relax to each muscle group and make sure your breathing is smooth.

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