By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: May 01, 2018
“Stress is having too much to do, too little time, and no energy,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a global meditation expert who has helped people worldwide to handle stress in personal as well as professional life.
During the course of our day, we’re all confronted with unexpected stressors that we have to manage: a sudden ad-hoc assignment, an emergency to attend to or a deadline that pops its head up at the wrong time.
Did you know that dealing with stress can be effortless? Indeed, your body and mind can handle stress with a few lifestyle changes. The following are a few tips to keep you cruising through your day and put your stress to rest:
#1 Food & sleep: your two friends
A calm state of mind can handle any stressful situation effectively. Timely meals and sleep nourish your body, and give you adequate rest and energy to be active and alert all through the day. A sound sleep of 6 to 8 hours, and 3 regular meals a day, will support your mind and body to handle the challenge of stress and fatigue skillfully. Skimping on meals or sleep only deprives you of the resources you need to handle stress.
#2 Reach for that energy snack
Have you heard that your body is a precious gift from nature? It’s very important to keep your body and your mind well fueled to meet whatever hurdles you face. Meals with healthy whole grains, beans, nuts, and lots of fruits and vegetables can keep your body going with ease.
Remember, however busy you are, it’s not advisable to skip a meal! If you’re too busy, eat some fruit and nuts, or carrot sticks and hummus and you’re ready to go! Drink lots of water during the day. Doctors and dietary experts suggest an intake of 8-10 glasses of water daily, starting with a couple of glasses in the morning. “We accumulate toxins in various parts of the body when sitting in one place working. So, drinking water helps us flush them out,” says Dr. Divya, a doctor specializing in proactive health.
#3 Little breaks go a long way
At your workplace, it’s good to be aware that little breaks give you greater enthusiasm and focus. A quick break of 10 minutes every 1 to 2 hours will help refresh you so you can continue working at your best.
“From 9 in the morning to 7 in the evening, my job requires full focus and attention. It also requires me to do rigorous multi-tasking and often gets quite hectic. But every hour or two, I make sure to take a quick walk, drink some water, get some fresh air and resume work. It helps my mind press the refresh button, clear the cache and take off. There are moments of stress but I make sure I handle them with ease,” says Jagadish Chandra, a certified financial analyst with a leading European bank.
#4 Pranayama, yoga & meditation
Where there’s a lock, there must be a key. Fortunately, the lock of stress has many keys that unlock and get rid of it. Many times, we experience intense stress due to various toxins accumulated in parts of our body over time. It’s scientifically proven that about 90% of toxins are flushed out through our breath. Our respiratory mechanism is a very powerful source of energy and also a great cleansing system. Breathing techniques, especially yogic ones like Sudarshan Kriya and other pranayamas, help cleanse our bodies of their toxins and stresses, making us feel stronger and relaxed.
“My day is very hectic. We push ourselves to meet deadlines. But since I’ve been doing my Sudarshan Kriya daily, I’ve divorced stress, and work with enthusiasm,” says Monica, a reporter and editor with a daily newspaper.
In addition, yoga helps your body remain flexible and agile, thereby relaxing you and ridding your body of unwanted stress. A couple of minutes of meditation added to a yoga regime every day aids deep relaxation, rejuvenating you with an infinite source of energy.
#5 You are a superhero
In times of stress, panic or confusion, tell yourself: I’m strong and I can handle this.
When we look back at our life, we’re sure to remember many incidents when we displayed remarkable ability to handle challenging situations and come through them. We’re naturally gifted with adequate strength and confidence. Deep down is a warrior, capable of enduring every stressful problem posed by the world. All we need is love and a little belief in ourselves; we’re going to stand up to all the question marks hurled at us by stress.
By Elizabeth Herman Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s wisdom talks
