Have you ever tried mindful stress relief techniques that simply made you more stressed out? Take a vacation. Get away! Great idea, maybe, but vacations cost money, then more bills and more stress. Take a nap, get some sleep but when your mind is spinning and you’re awake, trying to sleep, sleepless nights only add to more stress.

Anxiety can be a contributing factor in hair loss, dental problems, skin problems, sexual dysfunction and relationship issues. It can result in weight loss or gain, alcohol and drug abuse, and the list goes on.

The bad news is that stress is here to stay. It’s a natural part of life. The good news is that you don’t have to join a gym or spend money on a needless vacation.

Here are some quick mindful stress relief techniques, that you can do anywhere, at any time.

Thought Stopping:

The more you think about a stressful situation, the greater the anxiety becomes. You can’t stop your thoughts; however, you CAN stop obsessing on them.

Try this: Think of your stressful thought, as a hard-boiled egg that you’re holding in the palm of your outstretched hand. A hard-boiled egg weighs under 2 oz. not much really. When you hold it in your hand for a minute, it won’t bother you. But if you hold it for 15 minutes it will feel heavy. Hold it for 3 hours and your arm will get sore. The only way to relieve the pain is to put down the egg.

When you’re stressed, you’re holding on to the thought, like that egg in the palm of your hand. You’re adding more and more pressure the longer you think of it. So, when a thought that makes you anxious, don’t dwell on it. Just like the egg, put it to rest, and get on with your day.

Stay Present:

 Stress builds on the unknown. The more you look to the future, the more stressful the situation becomes, because you’re thinking the worst. When you find yourself saying ‘what if I never”¦..” “or “how can I”¦..” bring yourself back to reality back to the present. Staying in the present moment is another quick mindful stress relief technique.

Resign:

Whatever has happened, has already occurred. So, don’t be angry, deny it pretend it didn’t, or try to change anything. Acknowledge what is and don’t fight it letting go of control provides instant stress relief.

Mindful Minutes:

Allow some quiet time for yourself every day. This can be the first thing you do when you get up each morning, the last thing at night, or any time during the day.

Here’s how: Sit for 10 minutes, say a mantra and allow your racing thoughts to settle. Then slowly open your eyes. You’ll be more focused and be more productive for the rest of your day.

Breathe Deeply:

Deep breathing allows you to relax and focus without distraction:

Shut you’re eyes and take a slow deep breath. Exhale and listen to your breath. Repeat deep breathing for a few more slow breaths. This will allow your thoughts to unravel.

As a Personal Development and Empowerment Coach, I speak to many clients with different issues every day. After each session, I take notes, and then breathe deeply. This refreshes my clarity, and allows me to be more effective. After that, I’m ready to give my best to my next client.

How can this simple mindful stress relief technique benefit you in the course of your day?

Relaxation and Visualization:

Imagine you’re lying on your back or sitting upright in a chair with your eyes closed, listening to relaxing music, or visualizing a beautiful scene that comes to mind. This is another mindful stress relief technique.

There are many apps that can guide you, as well as hypnosis downloads. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and the downloads simply guide you to relax. I find these downloads particularly helpful, and there are many others available online. You can also find meditations and chants to download, to convert your racing thoughts into a peaceful state of mind.

As you work on these five mindful stress relieve techniques you’ll now only feel more relaxed, but you’ll also be more productive for the rest of your day. Do you have any helpful stress relievers to add? I learn from you as much as you learn from me. I look forward to hearing from you.