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tips to de-stress at work in less than 3 minutes

3 Ways to De-Stress At The Office – In Less Than 3 Minutes

Get ready for calm in three, two, one…

Epic inbox pile-up. A calendar that looks like a puzzle. The constant ding of your boss messaging you. There’s no shortage of ways to get into a tangle of stress at work, but here are three completely doable, nearly instant ways to diffuse it and help possibly avoid a stress headache.

1. Make a Procrastination List

To-do lists give the impression that everything needs to be knocked out at this instant. Instead, give yourself mental freedom from some of your tasks by making a list of things you need to do — just not right now.

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2. Do a 2-Minute Desk Purge

Having lots of stuff on your desk means that you have lots of things competing for attention — creating stress in ways big and small. Try this three-step desk clutter solution: Put desktop gizmos in a basket or desk drawer. Pile papers by order of importance. Wipe everything down with a disinfecting wipe. Watch your new clutter-free space transform your mental state.

3. Try Progressive Relaxation

It may sound a bit like a practice better suited for the end of a yoga class, but it can also be applied to your daily life.. Progressive relaxation is systematically tensing a group of muscles for about five seconds while you breathe in, then releasing them for about 20 seconds as you breathe out, working your way up the body. You can try it sitting at your desk with your hands comfortably by your side: start with your feet and toes, then move up the body, all way to the facial muscles. Many sources can provide a guide of all the important muscles groups to hit — and in what order.

  • SOURCES

    1. Mukamal KJ, Wellenius GA, Suh HH, Mittleman MA. Weather and air pollution as triggers of severe headaches. Neurology. 2009 Mar 10;72(10):922-7. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000344152.56020.94. Erratum in: Neurology. 2009 Oct 27;73(17):1428. PubMed PMID: 19273827; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2677474.

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19273827?dopt=Abstract.

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