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Wednesday 22 February 2012

Lead A Stress-Free Life

In today's world of growing competition, we require to work real hard to meet the goals we are assigned to.  Steady performance, time management, competitions, etc., are fast becoming our main focus and in this process, at the end of the day, we are totally exhausted, fatigued, and to some extent irritable and we tend to overlook the importance of maintaining a fitness regime.  In order to keep up with the competitive world, one not only requires mental energy but also needs to have physical ability.  Majority of the young professionals are suffering from lifestyle diseases.  Long morning walks are a good exercise option, but one should take them seriously.  It is necessary that the activity an individual is pursuing should be enjoyed by them.  Similar is the case with exercising; you should enjoy the exercise you do and not just do it for the heck of it.  One should understand the meaning of exercise and the reason behind doing it.  It is necessary that even if you have a hectic schedule, you should be able to manage your time and give your body an adrenaline rush it requires.  To overcome this so called job-created mental stress, most people are turning to relaxation techniques, exploring them and trying to apply them in their daily life.

Below are some of the techniques that you can follow to calm yourself down, attain good health, have a sound mind, improve your personality and believe me they are really helpful.


Afternoon Nap

         It is a well-known fact that one's level of alertness is very high in the morning and gradually decreases as the day goes on.  You feel more fatigued and sleepy especially in the afternoon right after lunch and you keep on yawning.  Power nap at this moment in time is really helpful, but when you are in the office, can you really take a power nap?  The answer is NO, as your boss is not providing you a bed in the office.  But do not curse yourself for not being at home to be able to take a nap.  Take my advice and follow this simple technique.  Sit in your chair with your back straight, place your hands on your lap or on top of your knees, close your eyes, concentrate on the tip of the nose or at the center of the eyebrows, inhale and exhale deeply and as slowly as you can and keep doing this for 10 to 15 minutes or more if you can.  You can use a timer if you want and set it for a specific period of time per your choice.  In this period of calmness, feel that your tiredness is slowly moving away from your mind and body, feel that each and every part of your body is relaxed and you feel a sense of calmness within yourself.  After that, slowly open your eyes, go to washroom, wash your face and eyes properly.  By now, I am sure you are much refreshed, energized, and rejuvenated and will be so for the rest of the day till late evening.  If you work from home, you can do the same by sitting in a chair or you can do it by lying flat on your bed.  When you do it in bed, you may also actually go into a deep slumber for a minute or two but that is not a problem.  Many famous people like Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, John F. Kennedy, and Thomas Edison used to take a nap during the day.  Napoleon could take a nap right before battle and even when cannons were booming nearby.  Thomas Edison slept only three or four hours at night and took a couple of three-hour naps during the day.  He could go to sleep anywhere, anytime, on anything.  Indeed, he would often curl up for his naps on a workbench or in a closet.  So, by now you must have realized the importance and benefits of taking a short nap during the day.

Physical Exercise and Meditation

         Try to exercise and meditate regularly.  Early morning exercise and meditation can make you go whole day long without feeling tired or fatigued.  Physical exercises like jogging, walking, crunch, lifting weights, etc., are good for physical health.  But from my experience, I can tell you for sure that mental exercise is also as important as physical exercises.  After doing physical exercises, always meditate for at least 15 minutes and your fatigue caused by physical exercises will vanish immediately and it will make your mind and body rejuvenated.  To mediate, just sit on a cushion with your back straight and your legs crossed.  You can sit in any comfortable position, just make sure your back is always straight.  Now, keep your hands on your lap or on top of the knees, close your eyes, concentrate on the tip of the nose or at the center of the eyebrows, inhale and exhale as deeply and slowly as you can.  Keep doing this for at least 15 minutes, but to start with, you can do it for 2 minutes, then gradually increase your time.  This combination of physical exercise followed by meditation works really well and if practiced regularly it will definitely make you not only energized, well rested, and revived but also cheerful, zealous, happy, and merry minded.

Sleep

         Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.  So true!!, isn't it?  Most people remember to get up early and to do so they also set the alarm clock accordingly, but they forget to go to bed early and when the alarm clock rings in the morning, they simply put it off and go to sleep immediately.  I find many people doing this mistake.  I think first they should make the habit of going to bed early so that they can get up early.  At least, 8-10 hours of sound sleep is necessary for you to feel calm and well rested for the entire day.

Laughter

         Laughter is a wonderful stress reliever and helps the body to relax tense muscles.  It releases chemicals in the body that reduce tension and pain.  Always try to be in a jovial mood.

Music

         Listening to calming music helps to calm and focus the mind regardless of age.  Load your cellphone/laptop with music and songs that you love and listen to them as often as you can.  It will help release your mental stress.

Physical Checkup

        Regular physical checkup is also important.  You may feel low and not refreshed due to some physical ailment or some irregularities in your blood level.  A while ago, one of my friends' wives was suffering from morning sickness for a long time.  Physically she looked fit and healthy, but when she visited a doctor, he gave her some blood tests to be performed and when the results came back, it was noted that her hemoglobin level was far below normal.  The doctor prescribed her some medicine to take for a month and within 15 days the morning sickness was gone and she was much happier than ever.  So, if you are suffering from some physical ailments like indigestion, gastritis, insomnia, even cough and cold, stomach pain, etc., do not hesitate to consult a doctor.

Avoid Smoking/Drinking

         Always refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol.  Smokers argue that smoking helps them relax, but in reality it does just the opposite.  It is observed that stress level in smokers and drinkers are higher than those in nonsmokers and nondrinkers.  Cigarettes are well known to increase the heart rate and the blood pressure, which exacerbates stress.  Too much alcohol consumption causes cirrhosis - a fatal liver disease.  Quitting these habits is not easy but try to gradually decrease the consumption of these in order to attain good physical health and to feel relaxed.  Nowadays over-the-counter nicotine gums are available in the market and are helpful for the smokers to kick this habit for good.  Always remember - a sound mind dwells in a sound body.  Smoking kills and if you are a smoker you are killing the other family members too as you have made them passive smokers by smoking at home.  Sooner you realize this truth better for you.

Eating Habit

         Good eating habit plays a vital role in keeping the body and mind sound and active.  Follow what you have been hearing from your childhood - the famous proverb - Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so try never to skip it.  Include lots of fruits, green leafy vegetables, cereal, milk, egg, etc., in your diet.  Do not eat too much at one go, watch your portion sizes, always eat small amounts.  Studies have shown that eating less actually can boost brain power and help remember more.  Drink a lot of water during the day but in an empty stomach, always.  Do not drink much fluid while having food or right after food as it causes constipation and takes a lot of time for the body to digest foods that you have consumed.

Fasting

         Fast at least once or twice in a month.  Fasting cleanses your liver, kidneys and colon, purifies your blood, helps you lose excess weight and water, flushes out toxins, clears the eyes and tongue, and cleanses the breath.  For fasting, following this method: After waking up in the morning, drink a glass of water, do not eat anything for at least 8-10 hours, drink only water every 2 hours.  Break the fast by drinking a glass of juice in the evening and eat a very light meal.  At dinner also, take a very light meal and go to sleep.

Do What You Like Most

       Do whatever makes you feel happy.  You are spending most of your time in office, to earn of course, but that is a monotonous activity that you always do.  Spare some time for yourself.  Do every little things that can make you happy - traveling, taking photographs, reading, cooking, hanging out with friends, calling them, and so on.  As for myself, I enjoy photography a lot and it really eases my stress and anxiety.  Life is very short, so take the most out of it whenever, wherever, and whatever way possible.  Always be positive and always take the good things that come in your way.  The best way to make yourself happy is to make others happy too.  If they are smiling, you are smiling.  If they are sad, you are sad too.  A little gift on occasions like birthday, marriage anniversary, religious holidays, etc., can make your parents, siblings, and others happy and in that process the surrounding you stay will also bloom with happiness, joy, and bliss and your life will become more happier, merrier, and more contented than ever.

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