Stress Reduction: Your Five Most Important Minutes

What are the five most important minutes of your day? You may be thinking of how great you feel after you last class or even of the cold beer when you meet friends in the evening. While those are great times, they do not set the tone of your college education and, well, your life.
The first five minutes of your day are most important. And here is why. They set the tone for the entire day. They help you reduce anxiety. Ever heard of getting up on the wrong side of the bed? Crawling out of bed? These conditions may be true, but they are unnecessary and completely avoidable.

When you first awaken in the morning, even if your alarm has just sounded and you immediately focus on rushing to your first class, you are creating stress and anxiety. Stop! This is a time to apply some simple techniques for stress reduction for students. Stay in bed for a few minutes to move your focus from negative to positive. Breathe deeply.

1. Be conscious of a taking a deep breath through your nose. Make it deeper, longer.
2. Hold it for 6-7 seconds.
3. Gently breathe out through your nose.
4. Wait 6-7 seconds before you breathe in again. This may take practice because your body may become anxious the first few times.
5. Repeat 5-6 more times.

Not only does this breathing exercise help you come into focus, it gives your body a chance to release.

Next, think of three things you want to achieve that day. See yourself reaching those objectives. Smile; feel the positive emotions in advance. This helps you set the vibration of success. You have “set the vibes” of your day.

Upon arising, drink 2-3 glasses of good quality water. This gives your body what it needs to flush out the toxins that accumulate in the cells as a result of the night’s internal healing processes. Coffee, juice, and energy drinks don’t do that.

Enjoy your day! If you encounter some stress, you can repeat the breathing and visualizing exercise. And, for an extra boost, repeat the breathing and the visualization before going to sleep; this strengthens your intention for a good night’s rest.

PS: Skip the water before going to bed!

PPS: The breathing / visualization steps are great to use when taking a test. They help you clear your mind and put your focus on feeling good about succeeding.