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Home / Stress Management / Diversion and Distraction
Stress Management

Diversion and Distraction

Take a break away from the situations or tasks that are the source of your stress and frustration. Take a vacation or a short walk. This does not solve the root cause. But, it takes away from the source of stress so that you can "catch your breath." It also gives you an opportunity to think about the situation more objectively and may even help you to resolve the situation when looked through a different perspective.

Doctors agree that being physically active--walking, stretching, even working in the garden-is a high-power stress buster.

When I get stressed out I like to pop in a CD of instrumental music, light a candle or two and turn all the lights off except for the one that lights my fish tank. 

I'll sit back and watch the delicate fish as they swim around the tank, ducking in and out of the plants and rocks. It's amazing how calming it can be to watch them...they're such beautiful, graceful creatures. I can actually get lost in their world and forget about whatever it is that's causing the stress in my life.

Internet Discussion Forum

 

Stretch yourself

Stretching can help you feel more peaceful and relaxed. As you stretch, imagine the tension leaving your back, neck and other muscles as you gently push them to their comfortable limit.

Walk it off. Walking may be the oldest stress reducer of all. Studies at California State University have shown significant reductions in tension after walks lasting only several minutes. A study by Florida's State Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services found that participants in an eight week walking program were able to reduce the stress they felt at work by 30 percent. Walking not only can provide a needed escape from tension, it also may increase the body's production of mood-elevating brain chemicals called endorphins.

Gardening

Gardening is a natural, stress-releasing activity without the contrivance and inconvenience of working out at a health club. Experts suggest that gardening takes our minds off the unsolvable problems we confront every day. It gives us work to do where we can see progress from minute to minute. In that sense it works like meditation; It takes your mind away from stressful thoughts.

One thing that helps me is to visit my small garden and sniff the roses, pinch the herbs, put out some seed for the wild birds, move a couple of rocks to a new spot. If that doesn't do the trick, I work on my web page. The concentration required pulls my mind out of the stress warp.

Internet Discussion Forum

 

New Projects/Hobbies to Cope With Stress

Take up a different project everyday to complete. The projects or activity selected should be meaningful to you and completing them makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and makes you proud.
Some of our projects people have used include:

  • Helping/teaching some underprivileged children with lot of care and fun.
    Attending satsanga,Yoga & Meditation classes.

  • Work on a web site of your interest. Writing mails/chatting to your old/new friends, joining social networking sites.

  • Learning computer programs that you have installed on your computer by reading manuals, books. Leaning a new language and practicing what you learn.

  • Read a chapter in the spiritual books/holy scriptures /motivational books a day. This has an additional benefit as most of the stories may help you cope with your stress making you realize that each person's problems belongs to them; not you. ( in Sanskrit this is called swadhyay-self study)

    Writing some inspiring/happy moments of your life/experience.

  • Joining music, dance, swimming ,hobby classes.
    Joining indoor/outdoor sports group/club.

  • Do that painting project you had been postponing for some time.
    Going on some places/spiritual tour.

You can come up with your own projects. These take your attention away from your stress causing situation.