How to Slow Down the Hamster Wheel 

Did you ever feel like that hamster, running fast and furious on his wheel but going nowhere? Many of us do from time to time and it’s usually on one of those days we’re complaining “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done.”  Our long To Do list can lead to stress, but there are many other factors that crop up in the office every day, making us feel motion sick, from spinning on that squeaky wheel too long. Too much stress isn’t good for our health or our productivity.

On a typical work day, our body will respond to work stress in various ways. Although stress on the job is to be expected from time to time, it’s important to recognize warning signs that indicate the work related stressors may be affecting our health.  If your job is affecting your health by keeping you awake at night, raising your blood pressure or causing you to have headaches, then you might want to learn some simple behavior modification techniques that can help you learn to relax and avoid serious illnesses, like stroke or heart attack.

What Is Stress?

According to the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, it is any circumstance that causes a behavioral adjustment. When we perceive stress, it triggers a “fight or flight” response and that will cause our adrenaline to rush. This in turn will increase our heart rate, blood pressure and can cause health issues over time that can include anxiety, depression, insomnia and cardiac irregularities.

What can we do?

Herbert Benson, MD and president of the Mind Body Medical Institute in Boston, believes using relaxation techniques for only a few minutes every day can help us keep our balance and stay healthy. Meditation, yoga or just learning to breath properly or more slowly as a response to stress, can all be good antidotes to combat stress in our daily routines. Your primary care physician may be able to suggest relaxation strategies as well and even help point you to another resource in your area where you can learn to De-stress from worry or a busy work week.

Avoiding Burn Out

Most of us have a long to do list and we often put ourselves last on the list. But it’s important to put ourselves first when it comes to maintaining a healthy life style balance. Learning to relax and not take the job home with us is a skill that may be harder for some of us to master, but if we learn to relax, devoting a period of time each day just for us to recharge our batteries, we will be more productive on the job. Listen to your body and if you feel that stress is affecting your sleep, mood or ability to concentrate, then it may be time to see your doctor and learn a healthier regimen that includes finding time everyday for relaxation. Your body will thank you and so will your family and co-workers.

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One Response to “Relax”
 Chris Carraway, DC DIBCN says:
2010/05/26 at 1:17 am
This is a great artilce and is very true. I am working longer hours than I ever have in private practice. I suspect it is going to get worse before it gets better, and I really love what I do!

Every heard that “Time is money”? This true to some extent. I tell my patients who say. “I can’t find the time to (fill in the blank).” I ask them if they have ever heard that time is money. They answer yes they have. I then go ask them if they ever “found” enough money that is made a difference in their lives? They answer is alway is no. Just at few coins or may a 10 in a jacket pocket…that was really theirs anyway.

You are not going to “find” time or money to make a difference in your life. You have to MAKE money and you MAKE time. Find either is not the way to expect changes.

Relaxation and recharging is very important as profiled in this article. I MAKE the time to relax and do things that are rejuvenating. My weekends are packed with R&R activities, by design. Daily lunches are also a time that I find are important to me. If I get back on Monday mornings in the office and it feels like I have had to slow down to match the offices pace…then I have had a fun filled weekend of R&R and working seems like a break.

We make money….we are going to have to make time. Not wait for it to be found by accident.

Make some to relax.

Doc Chris