Take a Secret 2-Minute Mental Vacation from Stress |
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Change and transition drive anxiety, stress, and burnout.
Studies show guided imagery increases alpha brain levels and reduces stress.
The stress of the holidays is past. And just when you thought you could breathe a sigh of relief, along came the start of tax and audit season. Let’s not forget the uncertainty around inflation and a myriad of worldly worries.
If you’re feeling like you don’t have enough energy reserves, that you are on edge, upset, anxious, angry, sad, depressed, or feeling disengaged from work and others, you are not alone.
These are normal reactions to feelings of overwork and uncertainty.
Is there anything you can do to reverse this harmful trend, both personally and in your workplace? Fortunately, there is a proven way to help you recover and recharge from stress. Best of all, you can do this secretly–at work or home. Best of all, it only takes a couple of minutes!
But first, you need to know the dirty truth that no one told you: Change and transition drive anxiety, stress, and burnout. Plus, you’re probably coping with more rapid change and stress than ever before. Research shows that you don't need to get stuck in stress mode. You can actually change the effects of anxiety and worry in your brain very quickly by using mental visualization,
Yes, by changing what you're focusing on, you can actually elicit calming alpha brain waves and reduce stress! Meditators know how focusing on the breath helps to calm the mind. But taking a mental vacation is probably a faster and more targeted way of attaining that relaxing brain state.
Two-Minute Mental Vacation Practice for Recharging from Stress
As many stress researchers have learned, it’s not stress that kills you, but your perception of stress. It’s how you think about stress that makes all the difference. To prepare for your mental vacation, first ask these questions so you can start thinking differently about your stress.
How is my stress temporary, as opposed to permanent? Even COVID-19 was a temporary problem.
Even COVID-19 was a temporary problem.
Can I problem-solve a way to reduce or manage my stress? For example, could you take a different route home to avoid the stress of traffic?
For example, could you take a different route home to avoid the stress of traffic?
Can I find a way to prevent or avoid potential stress? Could you lessen the number of transitions in your day, such as making one trip to do three errands at once?
Could you lessen the number of transitions in your day, such as making one trip to do three errands at once?
Good job. Now you're ready for your two-minute vacation!
Visualization is routinely used to help athletes perform at their best. It works because your brain reacts to what you’re imagining as if it is actually happening.
Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for two minutes. Turn off your phone or other devices so you won’t be interrupted, and consider setting a timer for two minutes.
Remember as vividly as you can an activity that energizes you and makes you feel good. You might picture yourself hiking in your favorite place, running, swimming, dancing, biking, sunning on the beach, or whatever activity makes you feel good, revitalized, and energetic.
You might picture yourself hiking in your favorite place, running, swimming, dancing, biking, sunning on the beach, or whatever activity makes you feel good, revitalized, and energetic.
Notice as many colors, sounds, sensations as possible. Totally immerse yourself in the activity! Don’t be surprised if your heart rate and respiration increase, just as if you were actually performing the activity that you’re visualizing.
Don’t be surprised if your heart rate and respiration increase, just as if you were actually performing the activity that you’re visualizing.
At the end of the two minutes, take a nice, deep breath in as you stretch your arms high over your head. Exhale slowly as you lower your arms, feeling more refreshed after this two-minute vacation. Best of all, you can use this practice multiple times a day, as often as needed.
I have used this mental vacation practice in workshop settings and found that it energized and recharged participants–even after lunch when we were feeling low energy. My book Simply Mindful Resilience contains many guided visualizations and daily practices like this one for reducing stress and recharging all aspects of your life.
Take our Burnout Test
Find a therapist to overcome stress
Remember that this is a practice. Don't try use it just once. It is recommended that you keep experimenting with this method of rewiring your stress. You might want to try different mental vacations to see what works best for you. I think you'll be surprised at how effective mental imagery can be! Happy vacationing!
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