Instant Stress Relief: The 30 Second Meditation

Discover how to calm down and refocus your energy in just 30 seconds.

As a medical professional, I am always in favor of anything that helps relieve stress, especially meditation. As a working mother however, I understand that other working mothers probably roll their eyes at the word meditation. As someone who has tried and mastered the art of it, I will be the first to say that meditation is hard. If you aren’t in the right headspace, it can almost be impossible, almost as hard as finding the time to get into that headspace in the first place.

READ MORE: How to De-Stress at work

Fighting stress is still super important to your health though, so here are some easy steps to refocus and calm yourself in any stressful situation, effectively learning to do a 30-second meditation.

• Close your eyes and take a deep breath. I know sometimes in the thick of things it can be difficult to really take a deep breath, but this is the most important part. Inhale slowly and fill your lungs, from all the way down near your stomach. Concentrate only on filling your lungs, and focus on your breathing. If you feel like you can’t actually take a deep breath, expel all the air in your lungs and try again.
• Focus solely on your body. Take a moment to actually feel the sensations of your body, starting with your feet on the ground, and gradually moving up your legs, focusing on the tactile sensations of everything your body is touching. Make your way up to your head. If your heart is racing, or your stomach is upset, note these things and keep moving up.
• Concentrate only on your breath. Think about the air moving in through your nostrils or mouth, and into your lungs, then out again into the world.
• Open your eyes, and face the mayhem in your life with a clear mind. Try not to jump right back into the stress around you immediately, but rather look at it from a different perspective.

If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to diffuse your own stress in any situation, and face down any challenge without driving yourself insane.

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