Richard Templar, author of The Rules Of... series, broke down six techniques to start training your brain to relax:
- Stay in the present - worrying is caused by focusing on the future. Ways to help stay in the present include: mindfulness, yoga, meditation, running, etc. The more you do it, the better you will be at it.
- Give yourself a choice - Think of stress as a choice. If you look at it as a choice, you might be able to turn it off. Richard gives the example, "Say the traffic’s building up and you’re going to be late for your appointment. You have two options: be late and stressed, or be late and not stressed. Sounds like a no-brainer to me."
- Breathe - a simple act that can make a big difference.
- Change your language - Richard says, "What are you saying to yourself when you get anxious? You can make a big difference to how you feel by moderating the language you use – even inside your own head. Practice finding the right vocabulary to ease your stress rather than fuel it. Is this really a crisis, or just a glitch?"
- Slow down - make a list of what you need to do and do them one at a time.
- Plan a relaxing break - half the fun of a vacation is the planning and the anticipation of the vacation. It's even better when you finally do get to go on that trip.