Kat's Top 6 - Ways to Relax

You're having a bad day.

You're overwhelmed and over-booked with things to do.

It's that time of the month, even the gentlemen reading this, and you just have not been able to deal with anything lately.

Any of these apply to you? Because I had all three just dumped right onto me, all in one day. So I wanted to share with you my top 6 ways to relax that I remind myself of and follow each time I'm feeling stressed.

6 - Stop. Drop. And Roll.

Now I don't mean the fire safety rules, but you can think of that to remind yourself of this rule immediately when you're feeling that pressure in your chest.

Stop what you're doing. Whether it's stressing out, over-thinking, over-doing, running around, being lazy, being negative, talking, walking, whatever it is. Just stop, and meditate in silence for five minutes. Get yourself to that empty mindset so you can really focus yourself on what you have to do. 

Drop everything. This is probably the hardest part for most people, but just pretend for one minute that you have absolutely nothing to do. Nothing whatsoever. Your schedule has magically cleared up and you have 24 hours of free time to do whatever you please. It may not make sense at the moment, but just get into this mindset for the next step...

Roll all those furrballs out (you cat lovers will understand the magic of a lint roller)... To put it another way, release all that tension on your shoulders, let go of everything inside of you. Pull out a piece of paper and pen, and start writing the first things that comes to mind. Don't scratch out anything, don't prioritize just yet. Just write everything out, even if it's not something 'to do' per se. You can write how you're feeling at the moment, or what you have planned to do for the rest of the day. This process should not stress you out at all, and if it does, then go back to meditating for a bit.

5 - Organization

Once you feel calm and collected, start to organize yourself. This is the perfect time to prioritize your tasks & thoughts and plan out the rest of your day.

Make a section for your To-Do's, and another for your thoughts / feelings or situations that you have to deal with ASAP. If you have a hard time with this, you can find an application on your phone or the computer that helps you manage your to-do list, grocery lists, or make a pros & cons list for your decision-making in whatever situation you're dealing with. There are so many options in applications and software for organization, you just need to find the one that's best for you. 

Deal with the hardest, most challenging tasks and feelings first... 

4- One. At. A. Time.

I cannot stress this enough. If you're working on a task, or overcoming a dilemma, focus all your attention on that one specific task. 

The most stressful thing is thinking about all the other tasks you still have to do while you're working on the hardest. 

3 - Pomodoro

If you find your mind wandering, use the Pomodoro technique, or the Promodoro app for iOS. Work for 30 minutes, take a 15 minute break. Get things done one at a time, and still have time for yourself. This has helped not just me, but many of my friends that have used this technique. This has helped them realized that they have time to finish everything they have to do, AND take a nice break doing what they enjoy or clearing their mind.

2 - Your Quiet Place

For your 15 minute break, or however long the break is, go take a walk outside. Get some fresh air, some exercise. Take a jog, go for a run, do some circuit training or yoga. If you really can't go outside, find your quite place indoors through meditation or yoga.

1 - Get Things Done

With all of this I've given you, you're never going to feel better unless you get up and do it. If you're feeling like none of this helps, look for something that will help you personally. Everyone's different, and in life you need to find what works best for you and what makes you grow and prosper. Go out there, get your to-do list done, get some exercise and meditation in, and start to live your life! Be in control of the things you can organize and manage, and let go of those things that just happen out of your control. Remember the Serenity Prayer, and remember to be happy right now :)

Love you all.

Kat <3