Learning To Relax To Prevent Burnout

chrysanthemum-659111_640Learning to relax is one skill that will support you in all situations in life. If you looking to decrease the chance of getting burned out you definitely want to practice relaxation at will.

Why is relaxation so important? You might create free time by traveling or taking a few hours off your usual schedule and visit a spa. You might physically stop working and give yourself the time to relax – sounds great, right? But you don’t give yourself a mental break!

If you’re relaxing on the couch but you’re ruminating and stressing about your page long to-do list, then you are not getting the recharging break that you need! The time you think is all about relaxation became just another type of stress.

In order to properly recharge and to avoid adrenal fatigue you need to switch your mind off as well and you need to avoid additional sources of stressors.

Do you think that crashing in front of the TV on the couch will get your batteries recharged? Not at all. Here is what’s happening: your cortisol levels will increase due to the unnatural light from the TV, your joints might ache as a result of bad posture and of course you might eat a few extra calories that you don’t need. To make it all worse: you’re probably going to still be panicking and stressing about all the work that needs to get done while you stare at the screen.

The best thing you can do to recharge your batteries? Exercise! Do you feel that hitting the gym is just putting more stress on you? There are so many other ways you can get your mental break while exercising! How about taking a funky dance class? Or taking a ballet class? Maybe Tai Chi is more your thing. The important thing is to find an exercise that you love and value. If it feels like a punishment… keep exploring.

Why don’t you enjoy the great outdoors? Look for gentle exercise like a brisk walk in a nearby park. The natural setting will help you to relax while the light exercise will trigger the release of serotonin – a natural antidepressant and a perfect tonic for our stress hormones.

Practicing yoga is an awesome solution for relaxation. Vinyasa flow is perfect for helping you get into a flow like state where stress seem to melt away. St. Louis Corporate Yoga offers Vinyasa classes perfectly adjusted to the stressful setting of corporate life. When your company is willing to invest in on site classes, you don’t even have to travel to the yoga studio… as the yoga instructor comes to you before or during work hours.

In order to properly relax, you need to distract your brain, you need to stimulate the production of serotonin and you need to avoid screens. Better yet, try to choose something that you genuinely enjoy and that you can look forward to. This is about the most important thing because when you do something you love doing, it will produce all the right neurochemicals.

Interested in setting up customized corporate yoga classes at your workplace? We would love to help! Call Michelle at 314-630-1677  to take the first step.

 

 

6 Ways To Take Care Of Yourself Every Day

be-511557_640You know how important it is to take care of yourself. The question that always comes up is this: how to get it done during your busy workweek with so many other obligations filling up life?

There are 6 ways to practice self-care we suggest you try to integrate in your everyday life. Just pick one to start with as you don’t want self-care getting on your major stressors’ list!

Exercise

Have you found the form of exercise that you are actually willing to do regularly? If working out in the gym or at home does not excite you, then it is time to try other forms of exercising until you find something that you look forward to doing.
There are so many ways you can get active! Have you tried yoga, pilates, walking, swimming or bicycling? Even if you tried an activity years ago and didn’t really like it – give it a try again. We change so much during the years, maybe those activities are more fitting to your needs now.
Don’t forget about fun activities! Dancing can be a strenuous form of exercise!

Eat Healthy

Before you get on the next diet, start listening to your body as far as knowing what to eat. Over time, you will figure out what makes you feel good, what keeps you full between meals and what kinds of food gives you the energy you need to make it through busy days.

You can take the first step today towards making healthier choices! Please read our recent article on our Clayton Yoga site about how to move from junk to healthy food through substitution.

Make Your Health The Priority

If you want to practice good self-care, you will need to put your diet and exercising ahead of everything else. If might mean getting up 30 minutes earlier to get in a yoga workout before going to work. Or eating the healthy lunch you brought from home while your colleagues eat cafeteria food. You are worth it!

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is one of the most underrated parts of taking care of ourselves. Getting enough sleep is paramount to your wellbeing!

While you are sleeping, your body is busy repairing itself. By getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, you’ll be healthier, happier and fitter.

Be In The Company Of Likeminded People

It is just easier to keep your focus on taking care of you if you associate with others who have the same goals. Do your friends are constantly getting fast food, eating donuts and sitting on their couch watching TV? Invite them to yoga class or plan the next get together at a spa. Look for activities for healthy cooking or take organized bike rides.

Always Look For New Ways To Pamper Yourself!

Finding new ways to practice taking care of your self is very important because you can get into a self-care rut, too. A spa day, a wellness massage or simply walking in the part can be exciting additions to your routine.

Practice these six things and enjoy the perks of practicing extreme self-care! You will be happy you did!