5 Under 5: 5 Ways To Reduce Stress in 5 Minutes Or Less!
A Note From Our Founder:
If you’ve read our blog before, you know that we clean houses. But you also know that a clean house isn’t our primary product or service. The main thing we give a family is a reduction in stress, peace of mind, and quality time for themselves.
Our clients are facing immense pressure in their careers, in their workplace, in their community, and in their personal lives. Honestly, who isn’t? While previous studies showed that over 50% of women were actively experiencing burnout, studies done since the start of the pandemic are dramatically worse. Corporate surveys by Limeade and Spring Health showed a burnout rate of 72% and 76% respectively. And a December 2020 study of university faculty showed that female faculty members reported a burnout rate of 75%— more than double the rate from 2019 (34%).
Burnout symptoms include:
headaches
shaking
difficulty sleeping
elevated heart rate
stomach or digestive problems
reduced sex drive
exhaustion
and more…
When you are feeling this way, it can be really powerful to have a couple grounding techniques in your back pocket. These are simple ways to manage the feeling of anxiety in the moment, but they are not permanent solutions. If you are experiencing sustained burnout, please talk to a mental health provider.
Help is available!
If you are experiencing suicidal ideations, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline 24/7 at 800-273-8255. Attendants are available in English. Lifeline ofrece 24/7, servicios gratuitos en español, y no es necesario hablar inglés si usted necesita ayuda.
Next up is Katrin, an Army Wife and mother who is offering us her favorite “5 under 5” grounding techniques:
Talking to a Friend
Some stressful moments are those that require a little reassurance or help putting our feet back on the ground. We all have that one person that listens with a careful ear and knows just what to listen for in our voices to know exactly what we need. By listening so intently, they know whether to give us an ego boost and reassure us we are doing a great job and it will all work out-- or if we just need a swift kick in the butt to galvanize us into action.
Close Your Eyes and Breathe
Set a timer on your phone or watch for 5 minutes. Stop whatever you are doing, turn everything off and close your eyes. While your eyes are closed, just listen and take slow meaningful breaths. Sometimes we have so much going on around us or in our heads that we forget to take those slow meaningful breaths and to just listen to the quiet beautiful sounds around us. Like the sounds of birds chirping ever so sweetly or just the sound of our own breath slowly going in and out of our body.
Prioritize
I know I get super stressed when I have a million things on my plate, and I can feel scattered on how to manage them all. Taking 5 minutes to sit down and write down everything happening in your head. Prioritize the top three things. By doing so it can also help to remove some things off your list that aren't so important. That way you can focus on what is and then go from there.
Have a Dance Party
Okay, so this one may sound silly, but it's a good way to release tension, pent up energy, and relieve stress in a super fun way! Dancing to your favorite songs will honestly make you feel so much better. It helps to get your blood flowing, muscles warmed up, and just clears all that negative energy we carry from our day to day lives. So kick off your shoes, blast those tunes and just dance your butt off!
Play Like a Kid
As adults we sometimes forget what it was like to be a kid. We worry about bills, our jobs, our homes and our families 24/7. That leaves zero room to just stop and say, “I want to have fun!” Next time you take the kids to a park, don’t just sit on a bench-- slide down the slide or swing on a swing set! Enjoy how much simple joy those things can bring you. Or if you want to burn some serious steam and really get crazy, have a nerf gun fight with your family or friends. Shooting those foam darts is oddly satisfying.
Katrin Johnson
Administrative Assistant
Good Witch Cleaning Services
Army Wife and Mom