relaxation

Turn off your computer for Shutdown Day

4:36PM Sarah Stokely | The Shutdown Day website throws down the challenge – can you live without your computer for one day? The site is promoting a computer free day on May 3rd. It aims to get people thinking about their lives and the world outside the computer screen: ” It is obvious that without computers we would find our life extremely difficult, maybe even impossible. If they disappeared for just one day, would we be able to cope?” There’s a comments thread on the website where people can answer the question of what they’ll do on their computer-free day. Amusingly, one chap who didn’t seem to get the point of Shutdown Day said he’d spend his time playing Xbox 360. Bzzt, wrong answer!May 3rd is a Saturday, so most people would be able to unplug for the day if they wanted. My perfect computer-free day would involve the beach, a puppy, good coffee and a good book, followed by a mid-afternoon siesta. How about yours? :) More »

More Than One Way to Take a Vacation

8:00AM Gina Trapani | Some people just don’t know how to take a vacation—but others sure do and do it with style. Entrepreneur Brad Feld falls into the latter category and describes his various flavors of vacation, from quarterly, disconnected “Spend Time Away” trips, to occasional unplugged “Go Dark” weekends, to “Downshift” time where he limits work to just a couple of hours a day. Not all of us have this kind of flexibility (and vacation time!) but Feld makes the great point: when you set the expectation of work to relaxation ratio before you vacation, it’s a better time for everyone. What’s A Vacation? [Feld Thoughts via Micropersuasion] More »

Improve Concentration with Mind Exercises

3:00AM Tamar Weinberg | With the right type of thinking, you can vastly improve your concentration skills. Exercising your mind takes time and commitment but will ultimately translate to a sharper focus. To align your mind with your body and bring a heightened awareness for a much deeper concentration, go to a completely isolated room. Sit on a chair or on the floor with your spine erect. Breathe deeply and relax your body. There are many exercises you can attempt to improve your concentration, and the Ego Development blog suggests several. One such exercise requires full body awareness. More »

Hack Your Way to Better Sleep

9:00AM Tamar Weinberg | Blogger Tim Ferriss has spent over a decade studying sleep optimisation and has discovered five effective means of getting the sleep you need when you need it. Right before you go to sleep, you should consume 150-250 calories of low-glycemic index foods (e.g. lowfat yogurt or an orange). Treat your meal schedule just as you’d treat your sleep schedule: keep it regular. Ferriss also suggests that ice baths can bring upon sleep, but beware of the consequences. The result: it’s like getting hit with an elephant tranquilizer. Don’t expect it to be pleasant at first. If you have difficulty falling asleep at night, avoid reading non-fiction right before bed. Also, plan your to-do list early in the afternoon so that you’re not preparing late at night and adding to stress right before sleep. How do you prepare for that much-needed rest? Thanks, James! Relax Like a Pro: 5 Steps to Hacking Your Sleep [The Four Hour Workweek] More »

Relax with Deep-Breathing Exercises

4:00AM Tamar Weinberg | Let your anxiety melt away with deep breathing exercises that are often associated with Kundalini Yoga. If you need to relax, set aside a few moments a day to practice deep-breathing to calm you down. Begin by increasing your awareness of how your breath is naturally flowing. Notice where the breath moves in your body and listen to the sound of your inhalation and exhalation. After a few breaths, begin to deepen and expand the breath and make sure you are breathing through your nose. As you inhale, draw the breath into the belly- allow the belly to expand with the breath. Continuing this inhalation, expand through the rib cage and upper chest. For a more focused breathing exercise to get you out of your sleepiness, practice the “breath of fire.” The exercise involves contracting your diaphragm and pulling your navel area toward your spine. You should end up feeling a lot more energetic. More »

Clear Your Mind and Slow Down

2:00AM Tamar Weinberg | Is your mind wandering in fast motion? Relax. To avoid burnout, self improvement weblog Zen Habits suggest that you slow down. Right now. If you’re mind is constantly spinning with ideas, thoughts, or deadlines, you initially don’t want to expect immediate gratification. Resolve to take baby steps. Start imagining the next few days without any distractions and work obligations. Envision a day where all you were doing was dedicating the day to yourself. Eventually, turn those thoughts into reality—slowly. Spend time with yourself for an hour a day. Don’t rush to finish the food off your plate. More »

Ease Your Anxiety with Mind and Body Exercises

5:00AM Tamar Weinberg | Stressed out? Sit down and relax. If you’ve been plagued by anxiety, calm down. Get in the zone. The Self Evolution website teaches you how. Of critical importance is how you breathe. Expand your diaphragm to breathe forcefully through your nose. Repeating this technique will cause the tension to leave your body. Spread your legs. Slouch slightly (but only for a few minutes). Kill internal dialogue. You can do this by opening your peripheral vision and performing eye exercises: More »