Quick Stress Relievers For Busy People

The construction industry is both a noble and profitable industry. The fact that each and every professional involved contributes to sustainable and long-lasting projects is something to be proud of. However, it is also quite a hectic and stressful industry for all the people in it. Looming deadlines, constant traveling to sites, uncomfortable working conditions and the like are all contributors to the naturally high pressure environment.

It’s easy to say that construction professionals should go ahead and de-stress, but with so many happening during work alone, who has the time? Fortunately, there are quick and easy to do stress relievers a worker can perform during work. Here are some of them.

1. Relax your muscles

All of that stress can cause a lot of tension to build up in your body, and you may become quite used to it that you don’t realize when your muscles become tight. Progressive muscle relaxation can help you let go of that tension. Relax your muscles slowly, starting from the toes up to your neck. Practice this and you’ll be more aware of your tense muscles, as well as knowing how to deal with it. Another way to relieve this is to get a stress ball and spend a few minutes squeezing.

2. Take short breathing sessions

When the going gets tough, just breathe deeply. Take 5 minutes of your time and close your eyes. With your hand on your belly, inhale slowly through your nose and feel the breath from your abdomen to your head, then reverse the process and exhale through your mouth. How does this work? Well, deep breathing helps combat stress by slowing the heart rate and lowering your blood pressure.

3. Occupy your other senses

This is another way of getting your focus away from your worries. What sense you can occupy in order to de-stress depends on you, so long as you’re sure you can still do your tasks and not just get distracted. Some people, for example, listen to music (sense of hearing). Others eat (taste), while others use a stress ball (touch). It’s all up to you to decide which eases your stress best.

4. Laugh, laugh, then laugh some more

As cliche as it sounds, laughter really is the best medicine. It increases the endorphins released by the brain, thereby inducing relaxation. Laughter also stimulates circulation and eases tension, which then relieves some of the symptoms of stress. Of course, we’re not saying you should just laugh at nothing. Rather, find things to laugh about. Like that funny story your co-worker was telling you about. Or that funny video you saw on the Internet. Despite the stress, try to see the funny side of things. It can cheer you up quite well.

Of course, when it boils down to it, these little methods aren’t as effective as complete and total rest. These are just for quick and short-term easing of stress, and while these are effective for a busy schedule, they’re not as effective for long-term. That is why when stress becomes too much, you should always remember to rest and recharge so you don’t end up burned out by the job. As much as your construction duties are important, your well-being should still come first.