When you hear the words, “stress relief,” you probably think of yoga and meditation, or maybe a nice bubble bath. Unfortunately, we can’t plop down on our mats or hop in a bath in the middle of a hospital ward! Sometimes, it can take more than a soak to bring some stress relief to a busy day. 

Here are some immediate stress-busting techniques you can use both at work and out of office:

1. Let it go

As a wise princess once said, “Let it go!” Sometimes things don’t always go your way at work or we end up working longer than we had intended. When one thing goes bad, it feels like even the most trivial things can get under our skin. It’s so important to practice consciously letting these things go out of our minds. Over-thinking and complaining only wastes time and brews more anger.

2. Speak slow

A quick and lesser-known hack to reduce stress is to take things more slowly, specifically, when you’re speaking. Stress usually results in speaking fast and breathlessly. When you do the opposite in reverse, you can trick your brain (and others) into appearing less anxious and more in control. 

3. Breathe slow

While it’s near-on impossible to do yoga in the middle of a workday, there are techniques within this practice that can help you quickly de-stress. The next time something stressful happens, instead of reacting immediately, take three deep breaths and exhale slowly. Slower heart rate is associated with lowered anxiety. 

4. Just do it

Stress at work can build when there are a million things you have to do and they can’t seem to stop piling on. On those days when you have a lot of admin piled up, choose one easy thing you’ve been putting off (like making a follow-up phone call or returning an email), just do it immediately. You’ll feel energised and find that your attitude has improved. 

5. Go outside 

It may not be that easy, especially during a busy day, but just getting outside for 5 minutes can lower stress. Even if it’s rainy, snowy, or 35 degrees outside, fresh air is fresh air. Being outside can remind us of what’s important and clear our heads.

6. Fuel up 

Hunger and dehydration can cause aggressiveness and provoke anxiety and stress, so give yourself some of your own treats once in a while! Eat small, healthy snacks throughout the day, and invest in a cool water bottle that will make you want to drink it constantly.

Hopefully these six tips help you kick stress to the curb. You deserve to feel your best at work—don’t let stress get in your way of that. By being mindful of your behaviour throughout the day, you can become a zen master of your mood.