Stress Management: Alternate Techniques of Stress Management

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Friday, February 3, 2012

Stress Management: Massage, Deep Relaxation and Shavasana (Posture Like Dead Body)

(If you are interested in authentic management books, go to “Best Books” at: http://best-book-list.blogspot.com)

(Refer for the most authentic articles on Building Leadership and Management: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

Alternate Methods/Techniques of Stress Management

Many people use many alternative techniques to cope up with their stresses and strains.

We are including some of these alternative techniques in our various blog posts, a few techniques per post. Though certain methodologies have been suggested for these techniques, you need not have to copy them ditto in any ritualistic way. You can introduce some suitable adjustments in them in order to help them suit your requirements for your own comfort.

The nomenclatures may vary. Yet, some often-used labels have been assigned to these techniques.

In this post we are describing three of such alternate techniques of stress management called “Massage”, “Deep Relaxation” and “Shavasana (Posture Like Dead Body)”.

Massage

Massage is a kind of manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscles and connective tissues.

Full or partial body massage or just about facial massage administered by an expert masseur or a massage therapist is believed to relieve the tensions and stresses. It definitely provides a satisfactory level of relaxation.
Make sure that the masseur or massage therapist you select is an authentic one and knows the job. Similarly you will also have to make the choice of the type of massage you wish to undergo from among the large methods of massage therapies that are available.

Deep Relaxation

Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Support your back properly.
Take couple of deep breaths (do belly breathing as given in chapter 18 of this book).
Close your eyes.
Do a complete body-check to locate the areas of tension.
Now take each tense area of body, one at a time and relax the involved muscles. Try increasing the tension and hold it for a count of one to ten and then release. You may even like to gently press or massage that part of the body.
Simultaneously repeat in your mind that you are feeling the warmth in that part of the body and it is getting relaxed.
Repeat it, in turn, for each tense area of your body.
Practice it for about fifteen to twenty minutes to cover the entire body.
End the session by taking several deep breathes.
Get up slowly and start your other activities.

Shavasana (Posture Like Dead Body)

Do not wear tight clothes.
Lying on the back spread both the legs and keep them at a distance of 1 or 1.5 feet apart. Keep the heels facing inside and allow the toes to fall outside and relax them.
Take both the hands little away, say 3 to 4 inches, from the body and relax them. Keep the palms facing the ceiling and the fingers half-closed but not tightly.
Turn the neck to any side and relax it.
Now, tighten and then relax the muscles of the face.
Keep the eyes closed with ease and without pressure.
Continue to be in this state for ten to fifteen minutes or even more and resort to slow breathing.
Do not go to sleep.
After lapse of ten to fifteen minutes (or as per your requirement of duration), open the eyes and straighten the neck.
Move the hands near to the body.
Bring both the legs together and take the supine position.
Get up slowly after a few minutes and start your other activities

(You may like to download authors' eBook titled "Stress? No way!! (Handbook on Stress Management" at http://nbuu.co/4)

For More Guidance, Assistance, Training and Consultation

Contact: prodcons@prodcons.com

Training in all the soft skills and various management functions/techniques is imparted by Prodcons Group’s Mr Shyam Bhatawdekar and/or Dr (Mrs) Kalpana Bhatawdekar, eminent management educationists, management consultants and trainers- par excellence, with distinction of having trained over 150,000 people from around 250 organizations.

Also refer: (Prodcons Group) http://prodcons-group.blogspot.com/, (Training Programs by Prodcons Group) http://training-development-function.blogspot.com/, (Productivity Consultants) http://productivity-consultants.blogspot.com/

Other Topics of Interest: Counseling: General and Psychological

(Anger Management) http://controlling-anger.blogspot.com/
(Children’s Behavior Problems) http://child-behavior-problems.blogspot.com/
(Cholesterol Control) http://controlling-cholesterol.blogspot.com/
(Counseling: Psychological) http://counselingfamily.blogspot.com/
(Counseling: Psychological) http://counseling-family.blogspot.com/
(Cross Cultural Etiquette) http://cross-cultural-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Do This Today) http://do-this-today.blogspot.com/
(Emotions) http://emotion-feeling.blogspot.com/
(Executive Etiquette and Manners) http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/
(Exercises) http://exercises-plan.blogspot.com/
(Family Counseling) http://family-harmony.blogspot.com/
(Health: Homeopathy) http://homeopathy-medicines.blogspot.com/
(Life Management: Competencies) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/competency-matrix/6txz9nck6g3/4#
(Life Management: Effectiveness Management: HSoftware) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/management-in-life-profession-family/6txz9nck6g3/3#
(Life management: I Am Liberated) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/i-am-liberated/6txz9nck6g3/6#view
(Marriage Counseling) http://marriage-counsel.blogspot.com/
(Ownership on Job) http://job-ownership.blogspot.com/
(Parental Responsibilities) http://parental-responsibilities.blogspot.com/
(Personality) http://human-personality.blogspot.com/
(Qualities of Spouse) http://spouse-qualities.blogspot.com/
(Quit Smoking) http://quit-smoking-plan.blogspot.com/
(Self Development) http://managing-self.blogspot.com/
(Self-confidence) http://self-confidence-improvement.blogspot.com/
(Spiritual Quotient/Intelligence) http://spiritual-quotient.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management) http://managing-stress-strain.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management) http://management-of-stress.blogspot.com/
(Success in Life or Success) http://success-achievement.blogspot.com/
(Success in Life or Success) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/success-in-life/6txz9nck6g3/14#view
(Swine Flu and Its Prevention) http://swine-flu-precaution.blogspot.com/
(Telephone Etiquette) http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Walking) http://walking-plan.blogspot.com/
(Winners and Losers) http://winners-losers.blogspot.com/

Monday, January 30, 2012

Stress Management: Auto Suggestion

Fix your gaze upon one spot on the ceiling (if you are lying down) or on the opposite wall (if you are sitting in a chair). This spot should be slightly above eye level towards the top of your head, a position that naturally produces tension in the eye muscles, and makes them feel heavy, so that they eventually begin to close.
Repeat each of the following statements several times in your mind:
- My eyelids are becoming heavier.
- They are heavy and tired and I cannot keep them open.
- I am allowing my eyes to close.
Now breathe slowly and deeply. Repeat mentally: “each time I breathe out, I am becoming more relaxed”.
Allow yourself to feel relaxed.
Pass your attention over each muscle group in turn. As your attention moves over each muscle group, repeat mentally: “my hands are becoming relaxed”.
Do this in turn for your hands, arms, shoulders, neck, face, head, chest, stomach, back, legs and feet. After you have made each suggestion, move on to the next area of your body. Then, mentally repeat: “each time I breathe out, the feeling of relaxation increases”.
Do not check to see whether it is happening or not. It will distract you from this exercise. Just accept
that you want it to happen, it will happen and it is already happening.
When you are comfortably relaxed, take four to five deep breaths. On each cycle of inhalation and exhalation (except for the last cycle) mentally repeat the words “this tension is all….” as you breathe in and “….going away” as you breathe out. On the last cycle, mentally say “this tension has all…..” as you breathe in and “….gone away completely” as you breathe out.
Now relax and do not move or open your eyes for a few minutes (could be 5 to 8 minutes or more as you wish). You are now lying or sitting eyes closed without any movement.
To come out from this state, say in your mind “I now wish to return to full awareness. I shall count from one to ten, and as I do so, I shall gradually come back to full awareness”. Then count up from one to ten, gradually open your eyes, suggesting to yourself that you are feeling good in every way, feeling better than ever before.
Get up slowly and start your other activities.

(You may like to download authors' eBook titled "Stress? No way!! (Handbook on Stress Management" at http://nbuu.co/4)

Stress Management: Forgive and Forget

(Refer for the most authentic articles on Building Leadership and Management: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

Alternate Methods/Techniques of Stress Management

Many people use many alternative techniques to cope up with their stresses and strains.

We are including some of these alternative techniques in our various blog posts, one technique in one post. Though certain methodologies have been suggested for these techniques, you need not have to copy them ditto in any ritualistic way. You can introduce some suitable adjustments in them in order to help them suit your requirements for your own comfort.

The nomenclatures may vary. Yet, some often-used labels have been assigned to these techniques.

In this post we are describing one of such alternate techniques of stress management called “Forgive and Forget”.

Forgive and Forget: An Alternate Technique/Method of Stress Management

It is not always easy, but the benefits of forgiving and forgetting can be powerful for emotional health and peace of mind.

Ideally both forgiving and forgetting should be done simultaneously for the best effect.

Some people say that they can forgive but cannot forget the wrong done to them. This will not give them complete peace of mind because they will keep remembering the painful past and it will keep troubling them and no one else. So why not forget too?

If you find difficulty in forgetting fully and the painful events come back to your mind now and then, it will be best to allow them but remember them graciously without letting them hurt you. Try to stop or filter out the bitterness the painful remembrance brings along with it. And stop or diminish your tendency of self-pity and hostility.

At times you may not be yet ready to forgive fully. In this case you can resort to decisional forgiveness. Decisional forgiveness involves choosing to let go of angry thoughts
about the person you feel has wronged you or you may decide to cut off your relationship with this person. Yet, the ultimate action will be the emotional forgiveness in which you replace the negative emotions such as resentment, bitterness, hostility, hatred, anger, and fear with love, compassion, sympathy and empathy.

You can use visualization method or cognitive method to forgive and forget.

In visualization method you can recall the painful incident and the related subjects in your imagination. Then suggest to yourself to gradually minimize the size of the visual display and see it getting minimized and then finally see it blanked out. Or you can visualize it and then crumple it and put it into a virtual dust bin/waste paper basket.

In cognitive method, recall the person who wronged you and say aloud or silently, “I have forgiven you without any grudge against you. I have also forgotten that incident and it will never haunt me again.”

So after you forgive and forget and once your emotional or mental health starts improving and you leave behind your stresses and strains, your physical health will also improve. Forgiving and forgetting will result in reducing anger, bitterness, resentment and other negative emotions and reducing the stress. It will help in strengthening the relationships. Additionally forgiving and forgetting will help maintain normal blood pressure and reducing pain (including back pain), stomach ailments and headaches.

For More Guidance, Assistance, Training and Consultation

Contact: prodcons@prodcons.com

Training in all the soft skills and various management functions/techniques is imparted by Prodcons Group’s Mr Shyam Bhatawdekar and/or Dr (Mrs) Kalpana Bhatawdekar, eminent management educationists, management consultants and trainers- par excellence, with distinction of having trained over 150,000 people from around 250 organizations.

Also refer: (Prodcons Group) http://prodcons-group.blogspot.com/, (Training Programs by Prodcons Group) http://training-development-function.blogspot.com/, (Productivity Consultants) http://productivity-consultants.blogspot.com/

Other Topics of Interest: Counseling: General and Psychological

(Anger Management) http://controlling-anger.blogspot.com/
(Children’s Behavior Problems) http://child-behavior-problems.blogspot.com/
(Cholesterol Control) http://controlling-cholesterol.blogspot.com/
(Counseling: Psychological) http://counselingfamily.blogspot.com/
(Counseling: Psychological) http://counseling-family.blogspot.com/
(Cross Cultural Etiquette) http://cross-cultural-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Do This Today) http://do-this-today.blogspot.com/
(Emotions) http://emotion-feeling.blogspot.com/
(Executive Etiquette and Manners) http://executive-manners.blogspot.com/
(Exercises) http://exercises-plan.blogspot.com/
(Family Counseling) http://family-harmony.blogspot.com/
(Health: Homeopathy) http://homeopathy-medicines.blogspot.com/
(Life Management: Competencies) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/competency-matrix/6txz9nck6g3/4#
(Life Management: Effectiveness Management: HSoftware) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/management-in-life-profession-family/6txz9nck6g3/3#
(Life management: I Am Liberated) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/i-am-liberated/6txz9nck6g3/6#view
(Marriage Counseling) http://marriage-counsel.blogspot.com/
(Ownership on Job) http://job-ownership.blogspot.com/
(Parental Responsibilities) http://parental-responsibilities.blogspot.com/
(Personality) http://human-personality.blogspot.com/
(Qualities of Spouse) http://spouse-qualities.blogspot.com/
(Quit Smoking) http://quit-smoking-plan.blogspot.com/
(Self Development) http://managing-self.blogspot.com/
(Self-confidence) http://self-confidence-improvement.blogspot.com/

(Spiritual Quotient/Intelligence) http://spiritual-quotient.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management) http://managing-stress-strain.blogspot.com/
(Stress Management) http://management-of-stress.blogspot.com/
(Success in Life or Success) http://success-achievement.blogspot.com/
(Success in Life or Success) http://knol.google.com/k/shyam-bhatawdekar/success-in-life/6txz9nck6g3/14#view
(Swine Flu and Its Prevention) http://swine-flu-precaution.blogspot.com/
(Telephone Etiquette) http://telephone-etiquette.blogspot.com/
(Walking) http://walking-plan.blogspot.com/
(Winners and Losers) http://winners-losers.blogspot.com/

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Stress Management: Meditation

Sit comfortably with your back straight. Be in an easy physical posture.
Close your eyes gently. Let go. Relax.
Witness the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe in and breathe out. Do not force, concentrate or evaluate.
Whatever thoughts or sensations come let them come. Do not censor, block or evaluate. Just innocently witness them. Have no exceptions. Whatever comes is OK.After about 20 minutes gently open your eyes (trust your instinct about the timing).

Meditation (Alternate Methods)

Meditation has become quite popular and fashionable stress reliever. Therefore, various people have devised many alternative methods of meditation. It will be quite impractical to include all of them in this book. Yet, we are giving here a couple of these alternate methods as illustrations.

One alternate method is to “explode”

You need to let go by screaming, crying, jumping, shaking, dancing, singing, laughing and resorting to such similar otherwise inhibiting actions. Keep your whole body busy all the time. Do not reflect on what you are up to; do not make any analysis or judgment. Carry this on for a few minutes depending upon how long you can carry on easily. Then stop and relax.

Other alternative method of meditation can be “chanting”some words repetitively.

Raise your arms, jump up and down shouting some well-chosen word like “whoa” or “aha” or “yippee” or some such other word. That word becomes your mantra for this kind of meditation. Keep jumping up and down and shout out the mantra: whoa, whoa, whoa. Do it till you feel exhausted. Many people report that they feel quite relaxed after this type of meditation.

Another method of meditation is to “dance”it away.

Choose a room with a pleasant ambience. Choose some good music of your liking. Play it. And then dance to your heart’s desire. Feel happy and elevated. Get totally lost in dancing. You are sure to feel stress free.

Here is one more method called “gibberish”.

Engage yourself in saying some “gibberish” like the way the small children do. Make kiddy sounds and noises and utter meaningless grunts and go totally “gibberish”. You don’t have to use any meaningful language. Whatever is holding you, blurt it out by expressing it in this “gibberish”. You can make suitable body movements in consonance with the gibberish.

For all the above-mentioned alternate methods of meditation there is no fixed rule for their duration. Five to ten minutes could be just about OK.