How to harness wellbeing despite having a hectic life!

Life is busy for most of us, so how do you still sneak in time for your wellbeing? Luckily, help is at hand.

The techniques in this blog can easily be integrated into a busy routine. Just work on one or two at a time and gradually integrate these into your whole day. The best way you can do this is by combining them with something you do every day. For example, just before your daily shower, when you make a cup of tea, or in between meetings at work. 

How do they help?

There is a close reciprocal relationship between breathing, the nerve system and emotions. We know that fear, excitement, rage and agitation accelerate the rate of breathing, which is the body’s instinctive reaction to possible danger and preparation for struggle or escape. However, many of us are not aware that the process may be consciously reversed. 

Your nerves can be calmed and your agitation or anger can be subdued by a deliberate slowing of the breathing rate. You can change your mental and emotional state by the way in which you breathe.

Key benefits of physical relaxation exercises

• Helps to cut down fatigue, and improve recovery from fatigue
• Improves sleep
• Provides a tool to help cope with excessive anxiety and tension
• Aids healing and the easing of pain
• Release of happy chemicals in your body 
• Improve concentration
• Help you make better choices
• Draw you to healthy foods and behaviours
• Boost your energy
• Enhanced immune system.

With all the below practices, allow yourself a few minutes at the end for your body to adjust before rushing back to your daily routine.

Three minute meditation. 

Stat by closing your eyes

For the first minute, imagine a wide field of awareness both inside and outside of you. Notice your feelings and thoughts and the posture of your body. Notice the thoughts going round in your mind, observe them without judging. Detach from them and let them go.

In the second minute, bring your attention to your breathing and the gentle rise and fall of your abdomen. Without trying to change the way you are breathing, simply observe how your breath is flowing in and out of your body. If your attention wanders, gently bring it back to your breath, without judgment.

In the final minute, extend your sense of breathing to your toes and the top of your head and into your whole body. Visualise your whole body breathing through your skin. Tune in to the sense of wholeness and potential within yourself, fully surrendering to the beautiful, wonderful being that you are.

Now slowly open your eyes and have a gentle stretch before you return to your everyday activities.

Body scan

This is the practice of mindfulness, where you just focus on the movement of your breath for 10 to 15 minutes. You can do it in a sitting position or by lying down. If you are sitting, ensure your back is well supported. Take your attention inside your body and then to your breath.

You will notice the movement in your body as your breath goes in and out. Focus on this movement for the next few moments. 

Then relax your face, neck, back, chest, abdomen, pelvic area, legs and feet slowly in sequence for the duration of the exercise.

Beginners’ mindfulness and meditation

There is nothing complex or mystical about meditation. You do not have to sit with your legs crossed. Just sit in a comfortable position. 

Close your eyes or lower them so you are not distracted.   

Pay attention to your body and now to your breath.

Now choose a positive word like relax, calm, love, or bliss. Alternatively, you can use the OM mantra, which is traditionally used in meditation, or you can choose any other word that will uplift you. Then silently repeat this word in your mind. If you are distracted, don’t worry, gently bring your attention back to the word and continue for as long as you can. Do this for between 2 mins and 30 mins. 

Object meditation

Choose an object or image around you. It could be a tree from your window, a nice picture or object on your wall, a lighted candle, as long as it is pleasing to the eye. 

Now immerse yourself totally in this object. For example, if you are looking at a tree, notice the shades of green, the way the branches fall, the movement caused by the breeze and so on.

Do this for a few minutes. Then close your eyes and bring all those images back into your memory.

Open your eyes gently. Stay seated for a few minutes, giving your body time to adjust before you resume other things.

Be in the moment

When you are in the moment, you are tuning in and engaging in that universal creative energy If you want an object from a room, you have to go in the room in the first place! The room is you and you have to tune into your own creative and healing energy to access it for your health and happiness.

Affirmations 

You can also tune into all of the above by narrating affirmations to yourself.  Here are some helpful ones.

‘I love myself unconditionally and only attract good people and situations in my life’

‘I am brimming with unconditional love for myself and those around me’’

‘I am loved and willing to release everything that blocks my goodness’

‘Love is in me and around me’

‘I give thanks for health, happiness, prosperity and joy in my life’

When you say the affirmation, the cells in your body automatically go into that state.

Virtual hug

Imagine you are loving and hugging the inside of you. There is no need to move your arms. Just imagine the hug and say you love yourself unconditionally. You can do this to others by giving them a virtual hug- you will be surprised by how this can uplift you.

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You can monitor your progress by taking the stress test via the link below when you begin these exercises. After a month, take the test again to map the difference in how you feel.

About Hansa Pankhania and her team.

Our mission is to offer solutions for Stress Management, Sustainability and Success by sharing natural, holistic ways of enhancing body, mind and planetary wellbeing. 

Please reach out if we can support you further or if you have any questions or comments.

Together we can mobilise positive changes in people’s lives to help make this world a better place for everyone.

The work that we do, whether it is working 1-2-1 with you, training a corporate group or writing books and blogs, is geared towards making a difference and helping people to enjoy joyous, meaningful, happy lives.

Get your copies of the 10 self-help books by Hansa Pankhania at https://hansapankhania.com/book-shop/

Support for Wellbeing Services for Businesses can be found at www.aumconsultancy.co.uk 

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