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Work is chaotic. There is one fire after another to put out. You find yourself getting more and more stressed. Well, de-stress—right now!

According to psychologists it is possible to wind down in three simple steps that were “developed by psychologists specifically for people with dementia,” reports Inc.

The three magical steps?

1)      Awareness. Keep a so-called “anxiety journal,” whether real or virtual. Take note and become aware of when you feel anxious and what are the physical signs of anxiety. This way you can prepare yourself for these situations — or avoid them, all together.

2)      Breathing. Take long, deep breaths to relax. “You can count slowly while breathing in and out and try putting your hand on your stomach and feeling the breath moving in and out,” explains the magazine. Those of you who take Pilates might recognize this move.

3)      Calming thoughts. Of course it is hard to think of calming thoughts in the midst of a disaster, so get your calming thoughts ready in advance. “They could be as simple as ‘Calm down!’ but they need to be things that you personally believe in for them to be most effective,” notes Inc.

If these three steps don’t work, try chewing gum, a self-massage (on your neck and shoulders), a cup of chamomile tea, or even close your office door and meditate for five minutes.

How do you de-stress at work?

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One a scale of one to ten, how overwhelmed do you get at work? Everyone has days when they feel at mental capacity due to stressful job demands, an annoying client or an overbearing boss. The next time you want to take your stiletto to something or someone – stop and take a breather.

So many people get flustered at work that they bottle it up without release. If you aren’t careful, you can give yourself a migraine or an ulcer. Sure things can get difficult, but it’s up to you to call time out for the sake of your well-being. Here are ten ideas to give you some “me time” on your lunch break.

I sat across from my mother as a million and one thoughts and images flashed through my head. Our lovely Saturday afternoon lunch outing had just gone south as I learned that my checking account had been hacked and for the last three days someone had been going on unauthorized shopping sprees at my expense. I put my head in my hands as I moaned and groaned something about people who chose to steal from others instead of earning an honest living. The more I thought about it, the more upset I got. This had never happened to me before. I felt so violated. As I scrolled down the list of my most recent transactions on my banking app, I grew more and more angry. “The nerve of this person,” I thought to myself. As crazy as it sounds, I even began drudging up an image in my mind of the person who had broken into my account by looking at the different purchases they made. My mom eventually talked me off the ledge and I calmed down long enough to call the bank and explain what happened. They quickly put a hold on my account and reassured me that my money would be returned to my bank account within a couple of business days. For some reason though, I didn’t let out the loud sigh of relief that one would expect me to. I actually didn’t feel relieved at all. I knew all along that the bank would refund my money, but that wasn’t really my concern. It was the fact that it even happened to me in the first place that upset me the most. I had taken this unfortunate occurrence way too personally, which is something I seemed to do pretty often.

Red and itchy hives began to appear on my arms and legs, which seemed to be something that had been happening more frequently when I found myself getting extremely worked up about something. I released a loud sigh on my drive home as I realized that my “mini soap opera” had been over for almost thirty minutes, yet, I had allowed myself to get so worked up my body was still reacting to it. “This can’t be healthy,” I thought to myself.

By stressing and internalizing every little thing I was not only putting my mental and emotional health at risk, but my physical health as well. As a young woman, there are so many things that I desire to experience and accomplish. I wish to enjoy life in its full capacity and certainly do not want to be hindered by stress-induced illnesses. During that drive home I made a promise to myself. I promised myself that I would try my best to refrain from stressing over things I had no control over. A scripture from Matthew 6:27 quickly came to mind, which reads, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Although I read that scripture several times before, in that single moment it put so much into perspective. Worrying never really changed anything and stressing never made anything better. These behaviors are actually often counterproductive.

Do you find yourself stressing over things you have no control over?

Jazmine Denise is a freelance writer living in New York. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise

There are quite a few fabulous reasons to become a yoga diva. Benefits of a regular yoga practice include: increased flexibility, toned muscles, weight-loss, stress relief, cute yoga outfits; the list goes on and on. However, choosing from the myriad different styles of yoga, can be confusing.  And going to the wrong class for your fitness level and personality can turn you off yoga all together. For example, balancing on one leg in a 100 degree room may sound like a fun challenge to one sista, but sound like a bucket full of crazy to another. So what kind of yogi are you? Here’s a look at five popular styles to help you decide.

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By mid-day in the typical 9 to 5 job, your energy level has gone down and your stress level has increased.  You are well-deserving of a few stretches to regain your strength and calm. For the overworked professional who has spent long hours at the computer desk, refer to these office-friendly yoga poses that will help your back, legs and arms. And most importantly, gear you up for the next challenge!

Take a look!

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