You work hard for your money, and naturally, when you finally get a little time to yourself, you want to forget about your work life and relax.
Believe it or not, relaxation and effectively managing stress are essential to being productive at work. Because if you really think about it, stress makes it difficult for the mind to process information.
While some professionals de-stress by binge-watching Netflix shows, others prefer to get outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of the natural world. But whatever your preference, the key to creating a healthy work-life balance is often found in the simplest activities.
The good news is that there’s no shortage of stress management techniques and activities in the world today. And instead of worrying over the weekend about that new startup that you’re trying to get off the ground, why not take a few minutes for yourself?
Here, we’ll explore a few of the best stress-relieving activities that will make your life a bit more manageable.
Read: How To Invest In Precious Metals IRA
Go Fishing
You might not think it is, but fishing is actually a relaxing activity. And there’s even a bit of science to back up this claim.
Being outdoors makes a human being feel good. Studies have shown that the combination of fresh air, sunlight, and being around moving water can have a calming effect on the mind and this can also manifest physiologically.
Moving water creates a release of negative ions. As such, large bodies of water like lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans all have this attribute. And simply being in close proximity to negatively charged particles naturally relaxes the mind and body.
So if you want to shake off the stress after a rough work week, go out and buy a new tackle kit from Tailored Tackle and then drive out to your favorite fishing hole. And fish your cares away.
Meditation
In many Eastern religions, meditation is seen as an essential practice to focusing the mind on the divine. And it is within a focused mind that one may realize the sacred.
In fact, in the Vedanta Hindu belief system, meditation is seen as a necessary practice to realizing Moksha–the liberation of self and the realization of God. And as such, meditation is seen as a fundamental of the four yogas as found in Hinduism.
But for those of us here in the west, meditation is simply a way to focus the mind and control the crashing of thoughts that can often cause us undue stress.
Meditation is also backed by science, as studies have proven that regular meditation can improve cardiovascular health, boost the immune system, and increase concentration.
Read: Startup Financing Gets Easier For Some and Unobtainable For Others
Exercise
Yet another activity that is proven to reduce stress, and one that is also backed by science is regular exercise.
Exercising and working out your muscles relieves tension and releases those feel-good chemicals that we call endorphins. And the more you do this, the more relaxed you’re going to feel after a long workweek.
Regular exercise also keeps you toned and keeps your metabolism healthy. And it is proven that those who regularly exercise have far less stress in their lives than those who choose not to.
And don’t worry. You don’t need to hit the gym for 12 hours a day and eat 9 protein-rich meals before bedtime to stay in shape and healthy. You can effectively stay toned and fit by working out as little as 20 minutes a day.
In fact, some of the best workouts are high-impact, fast-paced workouts. So if you want to create a healthy routine that allows you to manage stress, exercise for about 20 minutes before you go into work, or after if you prefer. And you might find yourself at least 10 percent happier with your life.
We all need to balance work and life. And even though this seems difficult at times, all it takes is a little effort. And this will be energy well spent.