3 Tips for a Calmer Day

Let’s face it. Life these days is busy. Most of us are running from one place to another with a long list of things to do. Not to mention the limited time available if you work full-time like I do. Here are 3 things that you can do anytime during your busy day, whether you are at work, at school, with your kids, or in the board room for a calmer day.

1. Breathe  

I know what you’re thinking, “of course I breathe”. When the body is stressed, we tend to take small, shallow breaths. This sends your body a negative message that you are stressed out. This can also trigger the fight or flight syndrome. Not good. Let’s do the opposite. Let’s tell the body to relax. Ready to give it a try? Sit up straight, breath in slowly through your nose to the count of 4, hold for 1 second, then slowly exhale to the count of 4. Repeat as necessary. You have just initiated your parasympathetic nervous system to “relax”. It might take some practice, but soon you will become more aware of your breath and you will automatically take a few slow, deep breaths whenever you feel the need to relax.

2. Practice Gratitude

Seems simple right? When your day isn’t going as planned, or even your week for that matter, it can be hard to stop and focus on the things in your life that are going well. Can you come up with 2 things to be grateful for? Keep it simple. This can be done anywhere, at any time. It is also a great way to start your day. The idea is to think of things that will shift your focus. Negative thoughts can weigh you down. Thinking positive thoughts throughout your day can give you a brighter, healthier outlook.

3. Smile

Smiling is contagious. How many of us are walking around glued to our cell phones or tablets? Walking around, heads down, with little interaction with the real world. A lot of us. Whether you are at work, grocery shopping, or dropping the kids off at school, notice what happens when you smile at people. Sit and smile at your desk. Notice how different you feel after smiling. I can almost guarantee that it will give you a little added sunshine to your day.