Baby otters and other stress reducing techniques

Who wants to feel less stressed?

A common misconception about decreasing stress is that it requires a significant amount of time out of an already-crammed schedule to make time for even more activities. As such, this misbelief can end up increasing, rather than decreasing, levels of stress. However, the following three stress-reduction techniques only take a matter of seconds and can be seamlessly integrated into your day. The hope is that with practice, you’ll notice an incrementally decreased level of stress overall.

20-20-20 Breaks

This simple and easy-to-use coping skill can reduce stress and increase attention and concentration. Try this when you are working or in the middle of a task, particularly a stressful task: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. If you can, stand up and look out the window. Some people find it helpful to take a few deep breathes during this break. After 20 seconds, return to the task on which you were working. Repeat 20 minutes later.

Glass of Water

This coping skill is simple but easily overlooked: It’s having a glass of water. When you are feeling stressed or even after having a good cry, it is easy to forget about small things that are physically reparative. Taking a small moment to rehydrate can make you feel better when you’re stressed.  At the very least, it will make you feel less bad.

Baby otters

What is your favorite animal? Baby otters? Llamas? Salamanders? Did you know that looking at pictures of your favorite animal can decrease feelings of stress and increase a sense of calm and well-being? The next time you need a quick boost, take a two minute break and search for pictures of your favorite animal in Google images or your favorite search engine (mine’s Ecosia, the search engine that plants trees). Then, take a minute or two to look at the images. Since we all take time to look at our phones anyway, looking at images of something you find comforting can temporarily decrease stress and increase feelings of connection and joy. See if it works.