You Will Relax!

Four Easy Ways to Reduce Stress

By Karen Zauber, NEA

How do you relax at busy times of the year? And keep the kids off the ceiling? In looking for some ways to help keep everybody calm, I found four ideas that appealed to me (they're in no particular order):

Assist Somebody Every Day
This idea reminded me of my favorite commercial. My examples won't be exact, but you'll get the picture: A man picks up the book a woman has dropped. She pulls another man out of the path of a van that's backing up. He opens the door for a young man carrying boxes. A kind of pay-it-forward "tag": I helped you. You're IT. Pass it on. Helping someone else is a good way to take your mind off you, a natural de-stressor.

Make Time to Relax
Shut off the cell phone, iPod, computer, television, and radio and enjoy the quiet for awhile. You might read a book, paint, or do other quiet activities. Or talk with friends and family. Taking time to be quiet or to be with people we care about can be therapeutic.

Have a Good Laugh
A good laugh can be a great stress reliever. It releases endorphins and other healthy hormones and takes your mind off of whatever's worrying you. A big belly laugh can even provide a bit of a physical workout. Plus laughing with kids is fun to do.

Listen to music
Music with a slower tempo promotes a calm, meditative state. Try classical and other instrumental music.

Encourage the kids around you to relax and, if necessary, teach them how. Busy times provide opportunities for you to talk about and demonstrate these simple ideas. And here's a bonus: All these strategies do more than relax you. They also put you in a positive frame of mind. Just what we need to get through the stressful times.

Related Content

» Help Others – Short stories of people helping someone else and feeling good about it.

» Ideas of How to Help – Suggestions from the Help Others Web site.

» Stress Management for Teachers & Students - Short articles and lessons on managing stress.