It seems like everyone is trying to learn how to deal with stress. From work hassles, to family problems, to money issues, people's lives are filled with potential stressors. One of the best ways to deal with stress is relaxing. Taking just 10 or 15 minute break away from your hectic life can do your mind and body a world of good.



But, surprisingly, many people don't seem to know how to relax effectively. They know how to take a short break away from the stresses of work, or running after hyperactive kids. But they don't know how to use that break to give them the most benefits.

So, how do you relax the right way? Here are some tips.

Let Go of the Tension: If you have been on your feet all day, sitting down for five or ten minutes can be a huge relief. But if you are sitting in your chair as stiff as a board, and already thinking about having to go back to work in a little bit, you aren't really relaxing.

When you sit down to take your break, forget about the work you will have to get back to once the break is over. Make a conscious effort to let go of the tension. Put your feet up, if you can. Relax those stiff muscles. You can even slouch in your seat if you want to.

A good way to relieve stress is by relaxing your body.

Don't Think: Many people use their breaks to think. They think about all of the things they have to do after work, or once the kids are off to school. Or they think about how they will deal with the problem that came up before their break. Typically, thinking about things like work-related problems or your busy schedule aren't very relaxing.

During your break, try occupying your mind with something that won't add to your stress. Read a romance novel or an entertainment magazine. Or spend the time playing with a stress relief toy.

Rethink Those Errands: The purpose of a break is to give you some time to relax and reenergize, so you can face the rest of the day with renewed energy and pep. However, if you spend your breaks running errands, you aren't giving yourself time to relax or reenergize.

So, before you spend your break running errands, reconsider. Are these things you absolutely have to do during your break, or can you do them at another time?

Learning how to deal with stress is critical. But things can get so hectic, some people feel almost guilty for taking a moment to relax. However, by doing so, you will actually make yourself better able to deal with the stresses of daily life.

And in the last part of our article we will focus on one way to relieve stress:

Slowly Count To Ten: If you can stay relatively calm and in control, stress won't be as much of an issue for you. When something bad or unpleasant happens in your life, don't react immediately. Instead, take a moment and slowly count to ten. As you count, rate the stressor on a scale of 1 to 10.

Your boss yelled at you? On the scale of bad things that can happen on any given day, that's about a two. You lost your keys? That's about a 4. Not an ideal situation, but one you can handle.

Counting to ten gives you time to really evaluate the stressful situation. Once you put things in perspective, you might find it's not worth stressing over.