How Relaxation Techniques Can Help You Focus

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How Relaxation Techniques Can Help You Focus
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• In our productivity-driven society, many
  people succumb to the temptation to work through
  their lunch breaks or hunch over their computers
  checking emails at night instead of relaxing. The
  irony of this is that instead of increasing
  productivity, denying yourself relaxation time
  can actually decrease your focus at work, making
  you less effective in both your professional and
  personal lives.

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• People who are overburdened by stress tend to be
  less focused than their counterparts who have
  learned how to manage stress through relaxation
  techniques. 
• Guided relaxation gives people something else to
  focus on and a chance to clear their minds as
  they relax their bodies. They come away from the
  experience feeling more positive, with a fresh
  outlook on both life and work.

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• Those who participate in regular relaxation
  training learn how to manage stress and the
  impact it has on ones ability to concentrate and
  think critically about the task at hand. When
  people are focused on their daily tasks, they can
  accomplish more, and, as a result, tend to feel
  more satisfied with their lives and work.
  Individuals who practice relaxation techniques,
  also called relaxation training, on a regular
  basis are not only investing in their mental and
  physical health, they are improving their focus
  as they move through life.

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• Even when people know they need to find time to
  relax throughout their day, it can still be
  difficult to figure out when and how. Here are
  some suggestions for how you can fit regular
  relaxation into your life
• 1. Engage in a breathing exercise to increase
  oxygen and help refresh your body and brain. This
  can be done on the bus or train on the way to
  work, sitting at your desk, or as you stroll
  outside during one of your breaks. 

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• You can start small by simply paying attention to
  your breathing, using this as a way to clear your
  mind. If you like to have more guidance, you can
  listen to breathing exercises designed to
  decrease stress and increase focus (you can find
  samples of breathing exercises on my Recordings
  page). At first, you may need a reminder to
  incorporate mindful breathing into your daily
  routine. You can make an appointment in your
  calendar, set an alarm or put up a note with a
  calming picture to help you remember to take time
  to breathe deeply.

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• 2. Take some time for meditation. The great thing
  about meditation is that it can be done anywhere,
  at any time. Although some enjoy silent
  meditation or using a mantra, many people benefit
  from some guidance, such as an inclusive,
  universal loving kindness meditation.

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The goal is to help your mind refocus (meditation
is a great way to do this) while simultaneously
promoting positive feelings toward oneself and
others. Loving kindness meditation is about
cultivating peace and understanding, which will
help you interact more effectively with your
colleagues and people in your personal life.
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• 3. Carve out time each day to relax your body. In
  addition to activities like walking, tai chi,
  yoga or stretching, progressive muscle relaxation
  is also a great way to relieve tension that tends
  to build up in your body throughout the day.
  During progressive muscle relaxation, you tense a
  certain muscle group and then completely relax
  those muscles, repeating the process to train the
  muscles to let go of tension.

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• Next, you move on to another group of muscles,
  tense them, and let go of the tension by
  completely relaxing them, continuing until your
  entire body is relaxed. These exercises also give
  your mind a break and allow it to refocus so that
  you can be more productive in work and life. It
  is helpful to practice this technique regularly
  so that you are more likely to use it when you
  really need it (e.g. while sitting in traffic,
  taking a quick break at work, settling into bed
  at night, etc.). You can listen to a sample of
  progressive muscle relaxation on Daydreaming by
  the Sea.

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• 4. Do something relaxing before bed to help you
  get a good nights sleep. This could be a series
  of gentle stretching exercises, taking a warm
  bath, or reading a positive, uplifting book. You
  can also listen to a guided relaxation recording
  to help you achieve deep and restorative sleep.

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• By putting yourself first and building in time
  for relaxation every day, youre investing in
  both your personal and professional success and
  happiness. Over time, these exercises will help
  reduce stress and improve your focus, which will
  allow you to accomplish more on a daily basis.

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