8 Stress-Relief Techniques You Can Try Anywhere

Mindfulness practice is more than stress-relief and you can try these anywhere.

Mostly we don't know we are stressed and overwhelmed and often get reactive in those moments.

1. So the first step is to PAUSE and Check-in with yourself, what are you experiencing in this moment - thoughts, feelings and sensations.

2. Listen to your body - is there fatigue, tightness, hunger, fogginess, `ungroundedness' ?

3. Acknowledge that and take a deep-breath or bring in self-touch as a way of acknowledging.

4. Ask yourself - what do you need right now that would be nurturing or how best can you take care of yourself at this moment?

5. What would feel nurturing in this moment - something small, that would bring a sense of care. It could be just making oneself a warm cup of tea or taking a break. Do that for a few minutes.

6. Grounding is something that can be done anytime. You always have your feet on the ground. You can just bring your attention to that sense of ground and feel the stability and holding of the earth.

7. Movement of the body helps - just engaging in simple stretches, walking or slow movements around the spine.

Inputs by: Sandy Dias Andrade, psychotherapist, MBCT teacher and founder-director of Just Being Center for Mindfulness and Presence.