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Tag Archives: de-stress

Long day at work? De-stress with rituals!

15 Monday Feb 2021

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, create rituals, de-stress, decompress, destress, have a cup of tea, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, patterns, ritual, rituals, walk the dog

Here’s great advice for de-stressing after work, from Harvard business school professor, Dr. Teresa Amabile. She says, think about how you set up your day. For example, you say ‘hi’ to the security guard, grab a coffee, and check your email. So, create another ritual at the end of the day to decompress. For example, maybe you listen to your favorite music on the way home, take the dog for a quick walk, and have a relaxing mug of tea. The more you engage in a set pattern of rituals, the quicker you’ll relax and detach.

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Need to de-stress at work?

15 Thursday Oct 2020

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, Darthmouth College, de-stress, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, relax, stressed out, take a break, take a walk, work stress

Do it in 2 or 3-minute increments called micro-rejuvenation. According to Dartmouth College, all you need to do is step away from whatever you’re focused on at least once an hour, and give your brain a break. You can take a brisk walk, or scroll through happy photos on your phone. Because spending even a few moments changing up your mindset can make you feel relaxed, re-focused and re-energized.

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Lift your mood by engaging in a calming leisure activity!

05 Wednesday Feb 2020

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calming, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, destress, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, jigsaw puzzles, knit, knitting, leisure, puzzles, reduce stress, relax, University of California at Merced

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Want to de-stress? Do something soothing and hands-on, like knitting. British researchers surveyed over 35-hundred knitters – and the more frequently they sat down with needles and yarn, the lower their stress. Don’t want to learn a new skill? Try jigsaw puzzles. University of California at Merced researchers found people engaged in calming leisure activities reported a‑third less stress than those without a relaxing hobby. But the best ones create a finished product, whether it’s a completed puzzle or a knit hat. Because the accomplishment lifts our mood and reduces stress.

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Take a deep breath!

08 Wednesday Jan 2020

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breathe, breathing, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, destress, exhale, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, relax, relaxing, stress relief, take a deep breath

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When it comes to relieving stress, people say, “Take a deep breath.” But a deep EXHALE may be more crucial than a deep INHALE. Physical therapist Dr. Emily Kiberd says most people think deep breathing should be about taking IN more oxygen. But the stress-relieving oxygen doesn’t reach our bloodstream until we breathe OUT. So, try this: Inhale through your nose for a count of 4… Hold it for another 4 seconds… Exhale for 8 seconds. That’s in for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 8. That’ll calm your nervous system, relaxing you.

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Do you find it hard to unwind after work?

21 Thursday Nov 2019

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, cranky, de-stress, destress, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, stress, stress hormones, unwind, walk the dog, work

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Well, the lingering stress hormones, like cortisol, could make you cranky, and hurt your health in the long run. So, work-life balance expert Mary LoVerde recommends a “power hour” ritual to help you switch from work mode to home mode. So maybe you walk the dog and take a soothing shower. Or you change into sweats and start dinner if you find that relaxing. Just make your “power hour” a repetitive ritual, because planning something new every day will just ADD stress. LoVerde says rituals make it easier to wind down and relax. They also make you more mindful, so you’ll spend your time at home “in the moment,” instead of stressing about work.

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Improve thinking and focus by placing a plant on your desk.

19 Wednesday Jun 2019

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anxiety, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, desk, destress, focus, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, nature, plant, plant on your desk, spider plant, stress, thinking

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We’ve said before that having a plant on your desk can improve your thinking and focus. That’s because being within eyeshot of something from nature triggers the release of positive brain chemicals that make you feel refreshed and recharged. Well, there’s even more to it than that. By afternoon, indoor air pollution is at its peak. And according to Johns Hopkins University researchers, those chemicals increase brain inflammation – which produce feelings of anxiety. But if you have a plant on your desk, it’ll absorb the pollutants and pump out oxygen, which can leave you feeling calmer. And one of the best plants you can get is a spider plant. It thrives indoors – is hard to kill – and within 24 hours, it’ll soak up 87% of airborne pollutants in the immediate area. And not just carbon dioxide. It’ll eliminate dangerous volatile organic compounds – like benzene, ozone, and formaldehyde – that are emitted by plastic, fabric, computer printers, and cleaning solvents.

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Want to de-stress and boost your immunity?

20 Friday Oct 2017

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Acupressure, boost your immune system, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, foot massage, foot rub, immunity, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, massage your feet, relax, relaxing, rub your feet

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Get a foot rub! University of Miami researchers found a 10-minute foot massage stimulates acupressure points… Which energize the white blood cells that destroy invading viruses on contact. Don’t have someone around to massage your feet? Put a couple cans of food or tennis balls on the floor, and gently roll each foot back and forth.

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Help your dog to relax!

07 Monday Aug 2017

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anxiety, anxious, bogeyman, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, de-stress your dog, dogs need exercise, exercise your dog, help your dog relax, home alone, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, meet-and-greet, relax, separation anxiety, veterinarian Dr. Nancy Dreschel

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Most of us think our dogs lead a pretty relaxing life and don’t get stressed out much… unless there’s a thunderstorm. But veterinarian Dr. Nancy Dreschel says 20% of dogs are actually chronically anxious. And it’s just as unhealthy for dogs as for humans. So, here are a couple ways to help your dog relax:

•Be careful with strangers. Dr. Dreschel says many dogs aren’t properly socialized as puppies. Which means they see every stranger as the bogeyman. So, when you introduce your dog to someone new, take it slowly… And create positive associations by doing meet-and-greets with treats.

•De-stress your pet: Give them plenty of exercise. Dr. Dreschel says dogs need at least 30-minutes of exercise a day to burn off stress hormones… And larger dogs may need more. She also recommends sticking to a schedule, if at all possible… Because dogs relax when they can count on a routine.

•Finally: Find a way to make your dog feel at ease when you’re away from home. According to the Animal Behavior Department at Tufts University, 1-in-5 dogs suffer from separation anxiety. But the solution depends on your pet – and your situation. For example, some dogs do well with treat puzzles and toys that keep them from getting bored. Other dogs feel more relaxed if you leave music playing. But Dr. Dreschel says a big mistake some owners make is ignoring their dog when they’re home. Dogs are such social animals that being ignored by their owner can make them feel terribly anxious.

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Visiting an aquarium can help you to de-stress & relax…

01 Tuesday Aug 2017

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aquarium, chill out, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, de-stress, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, meditate, meditation, relax, relaxing, swimming fish

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If meditation isn’t your thing, but you need to chill out, go to an aquarium – or even a fish supply store! Because watching fish swim is calming and can improve your mood. Scientists measured the heart rates and blood pressure of people before and after visiting an aquarium… and they found that afterward, people had significantly lower readings and felt more relaxed. And the effects lasted for hours.

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Feeling tense?

24 Monday Jul 2017

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antioxidants, belly-fat, blueberries, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, de-stress, destress, dopamine, feel-good brain chemical, feeling tense, folate, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lower blood pressure, peaches, potassium, stress hormone, sunflower seeds, tense

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Here are a few foods proven to help you de‑stress:
Starting with Blueberries. They contain antioxidants so powerful, they counteract the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that increases blood sugar levels. And high levels of cortisol are linked to belly fat.
Another anti-stress food: Peaches. The potassium in peaches helps lower blood pressure.
Finally, when you’re stressed, load up on sunflower seeds. They contain high levels of folate, which helps your body produce the feel-good brain chemical dopamine.

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