Spring has sprung, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all birds chirping and sun shining—between tax season, spring break planning, and hectic family schedules, even the most zen among us might be feeling slightly frazzled. In fact, Aura Cacia, a maker of natural and organic essential oils, has identified April 12th and the days leading up to tax time as some of the most stressful of the year. So they’re urging us all to take 15 minutes at noon on April 12 to unwind for a National Moment of Chill. Here are a couple of simple ways to relax:
Get outside Whether you take the dog for a walk, have 15 minutes to spare on your lunch break, or just need to get the kids out of the house, allowing yourself a few minutes to connect with nature can help you forget your distractions, and help relieve stress and anxiety.
Try this: If the weather’s nice, take your child to the park, spread out a blanket, and cloud watch for 15 minutes. See how many different animals, shapes, and creatures he spies in the sky. You can even take photos, or try sketching them in a nature notebook.
Stretch Stress isn’t only a mental and emotional drain—you can also feel it physically (usually in your neck, back, and shoulders), especially if you spend a lot of time working at a desk.
Try this: Spend most of your day hunched over a keyboard? Take 15 minutes to try some of these simple stretches from easystretchingexercises.com. A few minutes of these combined with deep breathing will have you feeling re-energized in no time.
