5 Silly and Almost Crazy Stress Release Tips That Really Work

5 Silly and Almost Crazy Stress Release Tips That Really Work

New Year May Bring You Some Stress

Here we are at the start of our first full business week of the New Year and I bet some of us are already feeling stress from all that we need to get done. I know for me the first business week of the New Year is always faster moving and more stressful than I’d like it to be. I have a few fun, perhaps even silly, things I do when I start to feel stress. Yes, I’m sure one or two will make you laugh.

There are times whenever the standard anxiety relievers such as exercise, meditation, and other leisure tasks aren't enough to help you get your mind on the right track. That's when you really need to get imaginative. Or as one friend jokes, “Let me take a nap and get back at ya!”

WOW Leaders Keep Stress In Perspective

In leadership, as in numerous other areas of business, stress levels tend to operate larger than life. Perhaps not only do you have to deal with deadlines, responsibilities, and issues in the office, but you're most likely overloaded with a busy home-front calendar as well. Remember, these stressors are only speed bumps in the day. Sometimes, it all gets to be a bit too much. For those times when you're about to explode, attempting some of these off-beat, but effective, stress-relieving strategies may help:

  • Virtual Venting: If someone in specific (team leader, boss, direct report, and colleague) is the source of your anxiety, write a nasty, blunt email to vent your frustrations. Simply don't enter the address or send the message! Going through the motions of voicing your opinions, thoughts, and problems without filter is a great means to ridding all the pent-up hostilities. The digital venting is for your benefit alone, however, and no one else's eyes! If you must hit the send button send the email to one of your secondary email address. Later you can delete the message serving to further relieve the stress and causing no harm.
  • Freezing the Frustration: If you'll need to chill out, attempt literally freezing your frustrations! Write out a list of grievances, gripes, irritations, or whatever's got you agitated. Then take the sheet of paper and put it into the freezer. Seriously, It's not only a great way to articulate and express your feelings, but the symbolic freezing gesture will place a finality to it. Plus, it might inject a little comic relief into your life...which can help when you're feeling stressed!
  • Fueling the Fire: While similar to the one above,
    I have often found the act of writing down all your frustrations on a piece of paper and then crumpling them into a ball and throwing them into a fire does wonders for your stress level. This technique can also be used for letting go of your anxieties, your fears, or anything bothering you. Watching your problems burn helps put things into perspective.
  • Tuning Into Tunes: Absolutely nothing soothes the heart like music. Just listening to a few tunes will probably bring your stress level down a few pegs. But why not take it a step further? Pick one of your favorite ditties and rewrite the words to show how you're feeling. Then play back the tune and sing your new stress-squashing song. Before you’re done, I’m sure you will be laughing up a storm. You'll be getting your frustrations out and having fun in the process.
  • Controlled Ranting and Raving in Private: This may get the neighbors curious about your psyche, but this can really relax you when the going gets tough. Take a moment to let it all out.
    Pound your desk a few times, raise your voice, and blab uncontrollably to the imaginary vision of the person you feel frustration for as if they are standing on the other side of the desk. You will be surprised how controlled ranting will release pent up anger and frustration allowing you to get back on course and no one will ever know.

There are countless traditional stress relieving techniques. Taking a walk, watching a comedy, going to a yoga class, getting a massage, or playing a game of cards will assist you switch gears and escape for a whilst. But, zoning in the source of your anxiety and then tackling it head-on with some quirky, but effective imaginative stress relieving strategies can really help.

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About the Author

Sheri Staak has led businesses with more than $1 Billion in revenue and teams with over 1,300 employees. Sheri has worked with successful start-ups, assisted entrepreneurs, started her own businesses and managed turnarounds in both large corporations and small businesses. More on Sheri here at LinkedIn.

Sheri’s desire is to help you, our future leaders, achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you would on your own.

While Sheri is best known for leading, motivating, and directing large pharmaceutical sales teams, her passion is to help and mentor those on her team and in the world become WOW Leaders and WOW Individuals. Her desire is to help both the established leader and the neophyte leader develop WOW Leadership skills.

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The Book

Today is the day that my new book launches and I'm very excited. I produced the following video this past weekend in celebration of the adventure. Your help in spreading the word is appreciated.

The book, Tune In To WOW Leadership: 10 Lessons Learned From America’s Favorite Shows, is NOW AVAILABLE at Barnes & Noble and online at Amazon.com. Tune In To WOW Leadership: 10 Lessons Learned From America’s Favorite Shows, is NOW AVAILABLE at bookstores and at Hudson's at more than 100 airport locations.

I'm grateful for all of you who have been so kind to follow me here on LinkedIn. If you enjoy what I write and are interested in my book, please pass this on and share with your friends. Any help you can give to kick-start the process of helping others become WOW leaders is appreciated. Imagine the difference we can make in this world by helping others become WOW leaders.

More information available at www.sheristaak.com.

Thanks, and have a WOW day!

Takasha Hurley

Program Manager PIP/ MU Health IT Unit DCH

9y

I have used 3 out of the five... Great advise.

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Kevin J. Sullivan

27 Years in Education~Teacher~Technology Integration Specialist~Principal | Entrepreneur | Startup Founder

9y

I like to jump on my bike and ride - on the road to cure a bad day & in the woods to cure a real bad day. It is amazing how quick ones perspectives can change after some good old challenging exercise........ On those days I cant get out - thanks for giving me more tools for my toolbox.

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Yat Lun Mak (Maky)

Technical Sales/Business Development

9y

I used to stuffed my face into my pillow and scream at the top of my lungs to release tension when I was young. Now, I will take a long walk when I need one.

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