While it’s possible to optimize your stress for better performance to some extent, too much stress at work can make you less productive and generally more unhappy in life. You need balance and ways to de-stress at work, so consider using a time-tested relaxation technique called progressive muscle relaxation that you can do in the office or wherever you work when stress strikes.
How to Reduce Stress with Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation (or PMR) is a relaxation method that involves tensing and relaxing each muscle group in your body. It was devised by a physician named Edmund Jacobson (and first presented by him at Harvard in the early 1900s), and is a time-tested technique that can be useful for relieving anxiety or even falling asleep at night. The idea is that there is a strong connection between your body and mind, so if your muscles are all in a neutral, relaxed state, your brain will get the hint that there is no impending danger and can calm down as well.
Find a comfortable position to sit or lie down, preferably in a quiet place where you can take a moment to calm down, and then focus your attention on different muscle groups. In general, according to WebMD, you’ll want to start with your lower extremities. Tense the muscles in one leg as you inhale for five to 10 seconds, then relax them completely as you exhale, noticing the difference in the two sensations and the difference between how the relaxed leg feels and the other leg. Move on to the other leg, your stomach, your arms, your shoulders, and finally your face. Once everything is relaxed, take a few minutes to sit or lie there, focusing on deepening your breathing and feeling your heart rate slow.
I’ve always done this to help me fall asleep at night, and there’s plenty of research to suggest that I’m far from alone in enjoying the benefits of PMR before bed, but there’s also research to suggest that it helps with work-related stress. In 2022, a team of researchers published their findings in BMC Psychology after investigating the effect of PMR on stress and anxiety in nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. Ultimately, they concluded that the technique should be taught in nursing school because it’s just that good.
