This month we are all about preparing for the long stretch to NYE — yes, there are only 89 days left in 2024 š®! In my latest podcast, I’m digging deep into two simple tips that can get you better results on chaotic days. Here’s a hint — one relates to your email(ā) and the other relates to coping with chaos in generalš¤Æ. Jump in now and catch up with the Lawyer Life Podcast!
As lawyers, we’re no strangers to stress, it is an inevitable (required?) part of life. But learning how to manage it effectively can significantly improve your mental and physical well-being. In today’s post, I’m sharing some simple yet powerful strategies to help you calm down when feeling stressed — these strategies are tested and proven to work for all busy women but especially attorneys. (We’re keeping it REAL simple around here!)
Trying not to cry? Fighting off a rage quit? These tools are available to you with minimal effort:
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises help you center yourself and reduce the physiological effects of stress. Try one of these popular methods:
Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique:
Inhale for 4 seconds through your nose,
Hold your breath for 7 seconds,
Exhale slowly for 8 seconds through your mouth.
Try Square Breathing:
Also known as box breathing, this is equally simple and effective. It involves structured breathing in a rhythmic pattern that calms the nervous system.
Steps for Square Breathing:
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4.
Hold for 4 seconds before repeating.
Visualization: While doing square breathing, imagine tracing the sides of a square in your mind. This can help you stay focused and relaxed.
You can repeat the process as many times as necessary, typically for 3-5 minutes, until you feel more relaxed. It’s especially useful in moments of acute stress or anxiety.
Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques connect you with the present moment, pulling your focus away from stressful thoughts and physical sensations. There are two main kinds of grounding:
Earthing Grounding Based in Physics: This method is a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that āgroundā or electrically reconnect you to the earth. This practice relies on earthing science and grounding physics to explain how electrical charges from the earth can have positive effects on your body.
Try out Earth Grounding:
This can be as simple as walking barefoot on grass, lying down outdoors, or using grounding tools like grounding mats, sheets, blankets, socks, bands.
Psychological Grounding: Engage your senses to bring yourself back to the present. These techniques work by grounding you in the present moment and pulling you away from intrusive thoughts or feelings. In this way, you not only have your āfeet on the groundā but also your āmind on the ground.ā By turning our attention away from racing thoughts or worries, refocus on the present moment.
Try out Psychological Grounding:
The 5-4-3-2-1 technique:
Name 5 things you can see.
Name 4 things you can touch.
Name 3 things you can hear.
Name 2 things you can smell.
Name 1 thing you can taste.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
PMR is an effective way to reduce physical tension and psychological stress by alternately tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout your body, from your toes to your head. When we tense our muscles before relaxing them, you enable yourself to relax them more thoroughly after you release them. This helps to more effectively release pent-up physical stress and leaves you feeling more relaxed overall.
Try out PMR:
Tense each muscle group for 5-10 seconds.
Release and relax that muscle group for 20-30 seconds before moving to the next.
Mindful Meditation
(You knew this coming!) Mindfulness meditation involves training your mind to focus on the present moment. This can help reduce racing thoughts and create a sense of calm. If you are new to meditation techniques, check out my podcast episode Meditation 101: Benefits and Basics to learn more about starting your own meditation practice.
Try out Mindful Meditation:
Sit quietly and focus on your breathing.
When your mind wanders, gently guide it back to your breath or a point of focus. Even a few minutes of mindful meditation can lower stress levels and promote relaxation.
Need help? Check out the Lawyer Life Podcastās 5-minute meditation series, released every other Wednesday!
Move Your Legs!
Go for a walk. Taking a short walk, especially in nature, can reduce anxiety, depression, and even boost creativity. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of walking can improve focus and elevate your mood. Try incorporating walking into your daily routine to manage stress more effectively.
Write it Out
Journaling allows you to process and express your emotions in a healthy way. In fact, 2018 research shows that writing down our deepest feelings and thoughts can improve our physical and psychological well-being. Writing down your thoughts can help you gain clarity, identify stress triggers, and manage your feelings.
Benefits of Journaling:
Identify fears and worried thinking that is causing stress or anxiety
Recognize triggers that exacerbate feelings of stress
Practice positive self-talk to build your confidence
Identify and reduce unhelpful thoughts and behaviors
Improves overall mental health by recognizing and addressing unhelpful thoughts.
Try out Journaling:
Write down your thoughts and feelings at this moment. Getting them out of your head and onto paper can provide relief and clarity.
Visualization
Visualization is a very simple relaxation technique that involves using your imagination to access positive feelings such as peacefulness, confidence, or motivation. Visualization can also help reduce feelings of nervousness.
Visualization involves creating a mental image of a peaceful or positive scenario, such as a tranquil beach, a personal goal, or a feeling of self-compassion.
Try out Visualization:
Close your eyes and imagine a serene scene that makes you feel calm and relaxed.
Focus on sensory details: sights, sounds, smells, and feelings.
Visualization can reduce the flight-or-fight response and ease nervousness, bringing a sense of peace.
Stretching
Stretching helps release muscle tension and improves your range of motion, posture, and overall relaxation. Incorporating stretches into your daily routine, especially at work, can reduce pain by up to 72%.
Try out Stretching:
Simple stretches for the neck, shoulders, and back can have immediate calming effects. A simple search on YouTube can help you find an office stretch routine that suits your needs and/or areas of pain.
Music or Sound Therapy
Confession: I have meditation or targeted hertz level music playing for at least 8 hours every day: my husband hates tolerates it, but I’m obsessed. Did you know that listening to calming music, nature sounds, or binaural beats can soothe your nervous system and reduce stress?! š¤
But let’s take this even farter: Solfeggio frequencies, which range from 174 Hz to 963 Hz, have been found to generate vibrations in the body that promote relaxation, balance, and emotional well-being.
Interesting Fact: Ancient theories suggest that certain frequencies have the power to heal and even affect DNA positively. You can experiment with different frequencies and music styles to find what relaxes you the most.
Try it out:
You can easily search for healing/Solfeggio frequency playlists on Spotify and other music providers. My favorites: Pineal Glad Activation 963 Hz for your third eye chakra & healing + cleansing frequencies. š
Hydrate and Nourish
Dehydration can intensify stress and anxiety. Basically, when you’re dehydrated, your body is stressed, and when you’re stressed your brain releases stress hormones, setting off a chain reaction of the stress response in your body.
Drinking water or eating a small, healthy snack can calm your physical stress responses. Staying hydrated helps your body stay balanced and less reactive to stress triggers. š¦
These simple tools can help you manage daily stress and bring you back into a state of balance. Whether itās deep breathing, grounding, stretching, or simply listening to relaxing sounds, incorporating these practices into your routine can make a significant difference in your overall well-being.
Try it out: Begin each day with a hydration plan — you do NOT need to carry a gallon jug around all day. Calculate your daily water intake goal and determine how many refills you need during your day to get there. Track your daily progress each day — habit tracker, anyone?