Check out these top eight mood boosters to help you manage stressful situations more effectively:
Deep belly breathing. Practice conscious breathing by inhaling through your nose, letting the air expand into your tummy and then breathing out through your mouth. Whether you’re at work or running around on a busy day, doing 5-10 conscious breaths can calm your mind while giving you a rejuvenating break.
Schedule a stretching break. Instead of taking a coffee break, try a stretching one. Simple movements throughout the day can refresh your mind and relieve muscle tension. You can do simple neck rolls and arm stretches from the comfort of your office chair, home or wherever you are!
Get organised wherever you are. Boosting your mood starts by relieving your stress levels. Set aside some time in your schedule to get organised: wherever you are. Spending a few, quiet minutes to get things in order every day can lead to an overall better mood.
Try coordination drills. Improved health involves your body and your brain. Doing exercises that involve working your upper body and lower body at the same time, like lunges with a shoulder press, will speed up your workout and boost your brain power! Next time you work out, try a few moves that challenge your coordination.
Smile often. Your body releases endorphins in various situations, for example whenever you feel very excited! Laughter may increase the release of endorphins (Manninen et al., 2017) . Spend time every day consciously smiling at people. It may boost your mood and give your face muscles a workout too! Your smile may improve the mood of other people too, because they’ll probably smile back at you!
Take a power walk. Think that a two-minute walk can’t impact your mood or your health? Think again! A fast-paced walk, even if it’s for a few minutes, will do nothing but good. Even if you have a few minutes, make time for a brisk walk. You may be able to reduce stress by doing something different (and stepping outside if you can). Try to walk for at least 30 minutes throughout the day.
Give your skin a workout. Quality skin care products can positively impact your appearance. When you dedicate extra time to your appearance, it can help you to feel more confident. Give yourself a two-minute mini facial at home, by exfoliating with your favourite scrub and massaging moisturiser into your face. A face massage with your favourite products is the easiest workout ever!
Try a quick interval routine. A quick interval workout can boost your energy levels by releasing endorphins into your blood stream. Try this simple routine:
• Jumping jacks (30 seconds)
• Squats (30 seconds)
• Push-ups (30 seconds)
• Crunches (30 seconds)
