Get Rid of Stress in Ten Minutes or Less

If you follow me on Snapchat (and you should!) you saw that this week I had a crappy morning-so bad that I went off my regular tea-only schedule and bought myself a latte to feel better. I know that indulging in bad calories is probably not the greatest thing to do, but sometimes we just need the comfort, tu sabes.

Anyway, I had a semi-hectic week (it got a lot better), but when combined with the anxious vibes I could feel from the soon-to-be attorneys studying for the February Bar, I found myself a little stressed out.  It made me think that it would be a good idea to share some of my quick (uber quick) stress relief tips.

There are some days when we’re on deadline; dealing with client emergencies; or drowning in outlines that all you want to do is scream and run away. Yet, you can’t run away and you barely have time to spare, so the thought of any type of stress-relief may be just a far-off fantasy. But that is not true! When you think you’ve reached the height of stress and anxiety give yourself ten minutes to decompress-it will really, truly help you mentally re-align and focus.

Here’s what I like to do with my five minutes:

1. Stand up and stretch. Seriously, when I’m on a roll with researching and writing I can go hours in the same seat. That is so horrible for my body, so I make it a point to stand up and stretch my back and legs. It distracts me from the work, makes my body feel better, and gives me a brief break before I get back to work.
2. Get some comfort food. I don’t like to encourage people to eat their emotions, but yeah sometimes you just need it. Go buy your favorite candy or edible treat and really take the time to enjoy it.
3. Look to the future*. When I’m on a deadline and I can’t imagine ever getting the work done, I just look at my calendar and remind myself that by the deadline I will be done and there will be some peace and calm back in my life. Bonus points if there’s something fun to look forward to after the deadline.
4. Watch something that makes you smile. Ok, here is where I show off that I have been a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda before it was cool (though, when wasn’t it cool to love him?), but way back he posted a video of his wedding surprise to his wife and I always watch it anytime I want to feel genuinely happy-creepily enough quite a few of those views are mine #embarrassedemoji. So what makes you happy? Cat videos? Baby vids? I’ve also started watching pregnancy announcements, but those are tricky because it may lead to tears.

That’s it–super simple, easy ways to decompress that don’t take up a lot of time away from your work. Let me know what some of your fave tricks for quick de-stressing!

*One comment on looking to the future for those studying for the Bar: I know it’s not much comfort to tell you that by March this will all be over with because right now you are in super overdrive and there seems to be no end in sight. But keep reminding yourself that you have worked hard to get here-harder than most-and you are capable of passing, you can keep this going for just a few more weeks!