Relax More, Stress Less

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Virgil Bastos

The Two-Week Stress-Less Plan

Feeling overwhelmed? Stop stress in its tracks with this 14-day relaxation regimen.

by Stacey Colino

Monday

Day 8: Think pink. You may find it too girly to wear, but, surprisingly, a bubblegum shade of pink originally called Baker-Miller Pink has been shown to have a temporary soothing effect, actually lowering blood pressure. To add a little pink to your day (without repainting your office), make your screen saver a bright pink image, store papers in pink file folders, put a pink pillow on your chair, or jot memos on pink Post-it Notes.

Tuesday

Day 9: Turn off the TV. Constant bombardment by news can make you feel anxious when you’re already keyed up, and a blaring TV hits you with both visual and aural stimulation. Consider a quieter, more single-sensory form of news―whether it’s the morning paper or the car radio. And limit your news to one source to keep from being overwhelmed.

Wednesday

Day 10: Take the scenic route. Whenever possible, get off crowded city streets and busy highways and take a tree-lined road to your destination. A study showed that the frustrations of commuting are somewhat eased if you travel down streets with views of vegetation.

Thursday

Day 11: Untie your knots. Several times a day, scan your body from top to bottom, focusing on the areas that are most vulnerable to stress-related muscle tension. Consciously release the muscles in your forehead, eyes, lips, tongue, jaw, lower back, and toes.

Friday

Day 12: Give bad thoughts the stop sign. Negative thinking can fuel stress. So when damaging, unhelpful thoughts come to mind, ask yourself: How could I look at this in a more positive or at least a neutral light? Or try visualizing a giant red stop sign in front of these thoughts. Then take a few slow, deep breaths and decide whether you need to dwell on the negative or can think about something more upbeat.

Saturday

Day 13: Lend someone a hand. Help a colleague who’s in a jam, sign up to mentor a student, or volunteer at a women’s shelter. Reaching out to someone else gets you away from your own worries, puts things in perspective, and can make you feel better about yourself and your circumstances.

Sunday

Day 14: Plan to laugh. Research has found that feel-good endorphins start cranking and the mood-boosting benefits kick in as soon as people start anticipating having a laugh, and a good belly laugh can relax your whole body. So TiVo The Office and let the good vibes start flowing.

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