Beat chronic stress by taking 10 minutes for yourself each morning
I am becoming increasingly cognizant of the fact that we need rest.
While it can seem counterintuitive, taking time to pause and do the things we enjoy will actually make us more productive in the long run, and able to go harder for longer. Chronic stress is one of our biggest, and most silent, killers. The adverse effects of this long-term stress can be fatal, and we need to take the time and make the effort to mitigate this. This can start with simply taking 10 minutes each morning to do something you enjoy, and something that will start your day on a calm trajectory.
This week, wake up 10 minutes earlier if you have to, and carve out at least 10 minutes of “me time” each morning.
Importance
Stress is one of our biggest killers, leading to everything from mental health issues and fat gain to heart disease and obesity.
Chronic stress leads to chronic activation of the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system, chronically high levels of cortisol, and chronic inflammation.
“It is a well-known and heavily researched fact that chronic stress leads to inflammation and serves as the foundation for nearly every age-related disease.” - Ben Greenfield
If we want to see the positive impact of reducing our stress levels, we can look to the lives of those living in what author Dan Buettner coined, The Blue Zones. These are the areas of the world where people live the longest, including: Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Ogliastra Region, Sardinia; Loma Linda, California (Seventh-Day Adventists); and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.
The inhabitants of these regions carve out time every single day to nourish their souls, and are almost never in a rush. For example, the Sardinians sit down to have a glass of wine with friends and family daily. The Seventh-Day Adventists take regular walks in nature. The Okinawans follow a concept called taygay, which translates to “easygoing personality” - the idea that life will unfold at its own pace. Following this concept means people often show up an hour late to things, simply to avoid rushing.
The people in these parts of the world live the longest for a reason - they avoid all rushing and largely avoid stress, and most definitely avoid chronic stress. We can emulate this in our own routines, by creating pockets of time where we are at ease, and are engaged in something that nourishes us.
Implementation
Decide where you are going to incorporate this 10 minute space of time - whether it’s right when you get up (which is my favorite), or maybe when you first get to work, or maybe once the kids have left for school. Find what works for you. You can include this time at any point throughout the day, but it seems to be most beneficial in the morning, before entering into the craziness of the day.
Figure out what you’re going to do. This isn’t time to be productive, or to get your workout in (unless you absolutely love working out of course). It’s time to do something you love, something that will nourish your soul, and will allow you to rest. For me, it’s a cup of coffee with a great book - not a business book, not a productivity book, just a book I’m really enjoying.
Do whatever you need to, to make this time highly enjoyable. I had one reader recently who spoke of splurging on expensive tea in order to make this time something to look forward to. Similarly, I’ll buy expensive coffee to ensure this experience is the best it possibly can be.
I write about this practice in one of my recent articles, explaining:
“During our lockdown, coffee became my biggest anchor. It grounded me, kept me sane, kept me happy, gave me something to look forward to. So of course it became part of my morning routine.
Coffee is me time — time to sit in stillness, to read, to just be. Having these sacred spaces of time always helps me to stay mindful throughout the day. They bring me back to the present moment and help keep me on track for the rest of the day. Taking the time to regularly slow down and just be, is incredibly powerful.”
Before you go
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