Bonnie Berk - 10 Easy Tips for Managing Stress

10 Easy Tips for Managing Stress
By Bonnie Berk, RN, MS, RYT

1. Start your day with breakfast.

2. Play relaxing music while you work and surround yourself with objects that make you happy like flowers, pictures, etc.

3. Always take a lunch break.

4. Get adequate amounts of sleep. Ideally, we need 7-9 hours each night.

5. Eat a diet rich in a variety of whole grains, vegetables and fruits and avoid excess caffeine, sugar, alcohol and tobacco.

6. Daily Exercise – Take a walk or ride a bike. Make exercise dates with friends or family members.

7. Avoid people who are “stress carriers” or “negaholics”.

8. Take a “mental health day” and do something you like to do.

9. Avoid watching the 11 PM news or reading the newspaper before you go to sleep.

10. Find some time during the day to relax or meditate.

“The mind is like a mirror through which you can see infinity; but if you put the blackness of hatred over it, you will see nothing.”
– Yogi Bhajan

no stress here!

Directions for relaxation breathing:

Lie on the floor with knees bent and place both hands over your abdomen. Close your eyes. As you inhale, notice your hands rise and as you exhale, notice your hands fall. Try to breathe in and out through your nose. You can also breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Take slow, deep breaths. As you breathe in, say to yourself: “I notice I am breathing in.” And as you breathe out, say to yourself: “I notice I am breathing out.” Continue for several minutes and sit quietly for as long you think you need to.

“The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” – Marianne Williamson