Ten Minute Fix: Out of Your Mind

Sure, you're brain is an amazing thing. It produces an average of 70,000 thoughts a day. In one day, one human brain produces more electrical impulses than all the telephones in the world. That's pretty cool, but don't you think you should give your brain a break every once in a while?

I find myself filling my brain with things I need to do. "I should buy milk, fix that shelf, apply for a job, call my parents, clean out the car, pay the gas bill, plead guilty in that court case, fire my attorney, exercise more, and get season 3 of Seinfeld."

Every time an "I should" phrase pops into your head, it sticks around, even if you don't remember it. When enough of these "I should" statements pile up, you're stuck with STRESS.

So, get all these thoughts out of your mind and onto some paper. Take ten minutes and...

1.  Write down everything you need to do, should do, and will do.

2.  Now keep that paper close to you and well guarded because the next step is to...

3.  Forget it. Forget all of it! Your brain is now free to tie up all those loose ends, because the information is stored securely offline where it can access the information when it needs it.

This is especially helpful for those times when you can't sleep because your mind is racing about all the things you need to do. Sure, you have a test tomorrow, but you're too tired to study and sleep is all you really need right now. So, instead of tossing and turning or burning the midnight oil, just get up and write down your plan. You'll wake up an hour early, skip the shower, and go straight to the library for your last minute cram session. Now your brain knows that there's a plan in place and it can forget about it and worry about those other 69,999 thoughts it had that day.

Ten Minute Fix: Relax

Your employer decided that doubling your work load made more sense than hiring another person. It turns out that new boat shouldn’t have been a tax deduction after all and the IRS has some questions. Your toddler found out where you hide the markers and redecorated the living room…and the cat. Your cell phone is missing and the toilet is clogged…for some reason you suspect they may be related. Your last day off was January 1st and your next one isn’t till May 30th. Seinfeld isn’t on. You’re stressed and you want to relax, but how can you when so much needs to get done?

First, force yourself to take ten minutes and remove the stress from the situation. Then you can tackle these problems with your mind and not with your emotions. A little bit of stress is a good thing. It can sharpen your thinking and motivate you to achieve more, but too much stress has the opposite effect. Too much stress results in headaches, difficulty sleeping, fuzzy thinking, and distraction. Relaxation techniques are designed to bring your stress back down to an appropriate level. Try out some of these ideas from the Mayo Clinic.

 Autogenic relaxation. Autogenic means something that comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to help you relax and reduce muscle tension. You may imagine a peaceful place and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.

 Progressive muscle relaxation. In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You become more aware of physical sensations. One method is to start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. Tense your muscles for at least five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.

 Visualization. In this relaxation technique, you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about such things as the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot and loosen any tight clothing.

Other common relaxation techniques include:

 Yoga

 Tai chi

 Listening to music

 Exercise

 Meditation

 Hypnosis

 Massage

Ten Minute Fix: Loosen Up

The idea for this week’s ten minute fix comes from my sister-in-law and her friends.  Every once in a while they get together for a 30 minute dance party. I’d go into more detail, but I think the name explains it all. This ten minute adaptation of the thirty minute dance party is meant to loosen you up when you really need it.

1.       Turn on your Ten Minute Dance Party Music Mix (TMDPMM)

2.       Let loose and start dancing. Feel free to go crazy and have fun with it. You can do it alone, or with friends if they need some loosening up too. You can even dance like this if you want.

3.       Turn off the TMDPMM and catch your breath

Possible Applications

Nervous about giving a presentation?... Ten Minute Dance Party.

All tense before a big date?... Ten Minute Dance Party.

Bored?... Ten Minute Dance Party.

Pain in the lower right side of your abdomen?... Go to the doctor. Get some blood work done. Have your appendix removed. Recover. Ten Minute Dance Party.

Benefits of Dance

It can be a great cardiovascular workout. (Especially dancing to Bollywood music)

Improves strength and flexibility.

Helps you lose weight.

Increases self-confidence.

Reduces stress.

I tried to find a really good article in a reputable journal about dance and it's effect on stress, but searching online journals stressed me out. I should dance instead. I'm sure it would be safe to say that some study done by some Scandinavian research institute says that dance has been shown to reduce stress levels in lab rats.