17 May Simple Exercises to Let Go of Stress and Tension

-Janice Tang, Hong Kong

Simple exercises to let go of stress and tension for workaholics and high achievers

It is hard to shy away from stress and tension especially when living in a fast-paced society where time is money.  The mind is constantly running in full turbo jumping from one thought to another. It’s undeniable that the demand for productivity and effectivity accelerates as life becomes more prosperous and advanced. Things need to get done, and preferably now

Despite stress and tension, don’t lose sight of the grand scheme of life. There’s always light down the tunnel when tension is high. There are three short and simple exercises that can help to release tension and cultivate a sense of calmness to maintain a positive and healthy mind.

Listen to instrumental music

Select an instrumental music that you don’t normally listen to. Some highly underrated music genres include jazz, flute, and classical such as Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin to modern composers, including Joe Hisaishi and Yann Tiersen. This exercise is designed to open your ears to soulful and non-lyrical music soothing your mind to the art of classical instruments. Put on your headphones and entwined with the composition. Let the music waves guide you to your inner peace.

Take a short walk and observe

Take a short walk outside your office and choose something in nature rather it be a bird, a butterfly, a dog, or clouds from above. Allow the natural object to be your central focus for 1-2 minutes then carefully observe its movements, sound, and behaviors. This exercise helps to serve as a connection to the mother nature and unwind the negativity. The mind will be absorbed by the beauty of the presence and rejuvenate your body with positive energy. Once your mind is at peace, take a few deep breaths before heading back to work.  

Cultivate meaning in everyday act

In life, we tend to take things for granted and often feel a strong sense of entitlement that we deserve what we have. Thus, we tend not to pay attention to daily tasks. For example, we go for coffee runs at least 3-5 times a day at work. Instead of doing the usual, stop and be mindful of the moment when you are waiting for the coffee. Take a few extra seconds or a minute to smell the fresh brewed coffee and enjoy a sip before you go. Little moments like this become  blessings in disguise.
These three exercises are simple practices of mindfulness by being present in the moment and let the moment tranquilize your body, mind, and soul.