3 super easy stress management tools

In our overly scheduled, fast-paced lives, feeling stressed out has become the norm.

Here are 3 quick, free or very inexpensive, and EASY tools you can try that will lower your stress hormones and help restore inner balance right away.

1. Yoga on Youtube. It’s become my new favorite stress management tool. Now you all know how much I love Bikram Yoga, but I don’t always want to make that 2+ hr time commitment. And sometimes, I just want to do yoga by myself (not in a class setting), so that’s why I started exploring online classes. I happily discovered that there are TONS of options. I really like the “restorative, beginner or relaxing” options when I am feeling overwhelmed, but there are also free yoga videos that will humble you and give you the workout of your life. Explore. Do a few minutes here and there to break up your day or fit in a 30 minute or longer class when you can carve that time out for yourself. Here are some of my favorites that I’ve discovered so far: Easy groundwork class and Hatha for sadness relief (even if you’re already happy, it’s a nice series).
2. Medical Qi Gong. I personally really like this DVD by a local qi gong master. After doing it a few times, it was easy to start memorizing chunks of it to allow me to do it anytime, anyplace. Between work and my toddler, I don’t often make time to spend an hour doing the whole DVD, but that’s okay. I feel a difference even with 10 minutes here and there. You can, of course, go to a class or explore other videos. There are plenty to choose from. Whatever works for you!
3. EFT “tapping”, otherwise known as psychological acupressure, is a fabulous tool for reducing stress and anxiety. It seems too simple to be effective, however, this technique is applied in many successful behavioral modification protocols and emotional/stress management programs. Watch the short video and you’ll learn how and where to “tap yourself” to illicit psychological refuge in less than 5 minutes (the video is longer since she goes through it several times).

Have fun exploring these tools and integrating snippets of them into your daily regimen as needed. Keep calm and carry on! 🙂