High achievers, by nature, often purposefully put themselves in situations where new challenges pop up unexpectedly around every corner. While these challenges are often experienced as exhilarating and motivating, they can also be exhausting and depleting if not balanced by activities that calm the mind and body. However, a common problem voiced by high achievers is how to fit in time for mental and physical rejuvenation with such busy schedules.

In past PT posts, I've strongly encouraged scheduling stress reduction activities directly into your calendar to prevent the harmful effects of chronic stress and eventual burnout. While I continue to encourage these very important career- and life-saving strategies, there also are effective stress-relieving exercises that you can do during a quick break or even while at your desk to reduce mental and physical tension and give you the extra boost you need to get you through a hectic, stress-filled day.

Here are three uniquely colorful ones...

For each of these exercises:

The visualization of colors has been found to help calm the mind and body without necessarily eliciting any associated, distracting thoughts (Professional Quality of Life). This simple visualization exercise begins with red and moves through the color spectrum. However, if a particular color is a trigger or unsettling to you, simply skip that color. On the other hand, if you find a specific color especially calming, you may want to spend more time with it.

Begin by visualizing the color red. Once you get that image settled into your mind, transition to the many different shades of red (dark, light, bright, pale); then choose your favorite shade and allow it to circulate through your mind until your mind is completely immersed in........

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