Stress relief and self-care is very important in my wellness journey. Probably yours too. Yesterday was extra busy, lots of phone calls, but it was not that rough. I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. That probably didn’t help things when today got crazy and a bit rough. Not only were there a lot of calls but so many of the callers were borderline abusive. Let’s just say that I am currently suffering from a bad case of compassion fatigue.
Stress causes me to eat comfort foods. I had the presence of mind to NOT fall into that old trap today. Instead, I removed myself from the situation for a mental health break. I went into the lunch room and did 15 minutes of yoga. I felt better afterwards but I still needed something.
My Apple Watch came to the rescue. The mindfulness app (formerly Breathe) is a gem. Three minutes of guided breathing helped a lot. If you find yourself in a stressful situation at work, try the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Sitting in your chair, place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath for a count of 4. Hold that breath for a count of 7. Then, as silently as you can, exhale slowly for a count of 8. Repeat as needed.
Tonight, I am going to do some yoga and then put my headphones on and listen to a relaxation recording to help me let go of the knots in my shoulders and back. I hope this helps me get a good nights sleep.
I hope you all are doing well. Remember to be kind to yourself, especially when others aren’t.
Thanks for reading.
This {_______} life 