5 Simple Tools that are Always Available to You

Stress, overwhelm, and anxiety happen to all of us. These goblins can strike at any time and throw us off our game. The difference is in how we deal with it.

The two step process that I’ve found most effective in dealing with feelings of intense stress and overwhelm (at least 80-90% of the time) are:

1. Recognize in the moment when it’s happening, and
2. Have simple, practical, highly effective tools at the ready to pull out, and apply immediately.

Here are five simple, free tools and strategies that are always available to you. I love these tools because of the extraordinary benefits they provide in a very short time. I use these five tools all the time:

1. The 5-Minute Reset (5MR). A simple no frills, mini meditation session that has the ability to greatly calm your body and mind, and help you reset and re-focus. All screens go off for this one. Longer meditations or “unplugging sessions” may be even better, but 5MR folds nicely into most schedules, and is more practical for many in the daily flow of things.
2. The 4-7-8 breathing technique, as popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil. Dr. Weil calls it “the most powerful relaxation method” he’s discovered, and in my personal use of it, I can attest to its effectiveness. At its most basic form, simply take a deep breath in to the count of 4, hold to the count of 7, and exhale to a count of 8. Start with 2-3 rounds when you first get started, and gradually increase to more as you get more comfortable.
3. Un-focus your eyes and look at the horizon for a few moments. In this simple technique, you simply pause for a few moments, un-focus your eyes, and ook at the horizon for a few moments. Yes, it actually works. As described by Dr. Andrew Huberman, neuroscientist and researcher at Stanford University, focusing our eyes has a number of cascading physical and chemical effects on our body (stress is one of them). In an age where most of us look at phones, and computers for most of the day, and especially as creators, it’s probably just too much. Simply redirecting our focal point towards panaramic vision for a few moments, triggers relief. Layer on a deep breathing exercise for bonus points. Try this for a few days and see if it works. I love this technique because aside from the surprising mental and neurochemica benefits, they it gives your eyes the physical break they need from looking at digital devices. It may be the missing piece you were looking for.
4. Think of three things you’re grateful for. You can take a gratitude walk, and think of three things in your head as you take a 10 minute walking break. Or make a habit of listing out three things each morning. As Tony Robbins says, trading apprecition for expectations. Re-directing your focus to what you have in the present, rather than simply
5. Working out. Getting into motion and using your body. This one take a little longer than the techniques above. But using your body, and elevating your aerobic breathing, using your muscles, is one of the most important ways I manage stress. And the benefits can last up to 24 hours after you’ve had a good session. I see it as a vital investment in not just my physical health, but in my mental health and emotional regulation.