Paired with the appropriate rest and recovery it is the stress that ignites human performance. In a world where everything moves at a rapid pace it is the lack of stillness and ease that create the feeling of stress. While most people complain about feeling stressed, it is the combination of managing the approach to stress and the periods of recovery that go with it.
In our last blog we shed some light on sleep hygiene and keys to improve your recovery time.Now lets dive in to 5 tips that can help you feel a sense of stillness and calm.
- Set up a morning ritual. Who can relate to the old saying “I love my routine”. Well, your morning one is maybe the most important of all! How you start your day sets you up for how you perform physically and mentally all day long. For me, it’s as simple as waking up, drinking a big glass of water, having a coffee with The Good Stuff, writing a simple “to-do” list for the day, and then enjoying 10 minutes of stillness or reading.
- Meditate. It’s no secret now that meditation has swept across the globe being one of the biggest game-changing trends for people from high flying corporates and business owners to fitness enthusiasts and athletes. The ability to be present for a moment, and take control of your mental state is priceless. Apps like the Calm App offer 5-10 min meditations and are a great way to learn the practice of mediation. The clearer your mind, the more space you have for productive thinking, and stress management becomes much easier.
- Get into nature.Escaping the city life for a day in nature can have significant impacts on your ability to reduce stress. It is calming, quiet, and helps to ground you. Even just a few minutes spent in green space, eg enjoying your morning coffee outside in your backyard, can be enough to bring you back to the present moment which is an act of mindfulness in itself. If you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or struggling with concentration, then a walking meditation through nature might be calling you!
- Get in the kitchen and cook. Preparing a nourishing meal can be such a calming and mindful experience. If you enjoy baking, following set steps and methods might find you losing thought of everything else that is going on around you and bring you to a calm state of presence.
- Treat yourself to a massage. Making time to get the occasional massage can relief not just aches and pains from muscle tensions but release a deeper sense of relaxation. Pressure falls off and energy can flow freely through the body again.
If you are finding it hard to deal with stressful situations try taking 10-20 minutes out of your day to try a few of these different tips. Remember that something is always better than nothing, and it may just be the circuit breaker that helps you shift yourself into a present and positive mindset.