Just relax! 6 practical ways to achieve relaxation and maintain performance

To perform at our best there is no argument that we need to look after our wellbeing. High performance can equal burnout if we don’t make time in our day and life to relax.

Make tranquillity and relaxation a non-negotiable in your working and personal life, and you’ll find that maintaining performance at work comes naturally.

Here are 6 practical ways to achieve relaxation and maintain performance:

1. Step Away

Sometimes, just stepping away from whatever it is that is causing you stress is enough to lower your thinking levels to get you closer to a state of relaxation. Distance and changing environments can help to channel your thoughts into something else and help you feel calmer. Giving your brain a bit of time and space helps to process thoughts and make room for creative thinking once we are in a more relaxed state.

2. Reflection

What could you be doing differently right now to make this moment easier? Do you need to turn your notifications on your phone off? Do you need to talk it over with a colleague? If you feel rushed into something, sometimes taking a moment to reflect on the situation can take you to more productive places. Quick fixes aren’t always the best solution and are often the ‘go to’ when we are feeling stressed and just need to get something done. What can you do to slow everything down and get into a place of relaxation?

3. Activity

“Being active CAN be relaxing.

People relax in different ways. Walking, yoga, moving around at your desk. Gentle movement can help to dissipate the stress hormone cortisol so don’t feel you have to sit and meditate to relax – get up and do what suits you.

4. Creativity

Focusing your mind on something creative that you love is a great way to relax. Be that baking, painting, drawing or colouring. It’s very hard to think about stressful things if you are engrossed in something you love. Doing things with your hands, like art, creates self-awareness. You aren’t focusing on the end product, you are concentrating on the here and now which becomes naturally more mindful.

5. Breathing

It’s a well-known fact that deep breathing lowers your blood pressure and relaxes tense muscles. Ideally, you’d have somewhere quiet and calm to go to. But if you need to take a moment in the middle of the working day, taking a few quiet, deep breaths to yourself can be enough to bring you into a more relaxed state. It can also help if you imagine the stress and anxiety leaving as you take a breath out.

6. Connection

Connection can mean many things. But connection with nature is something very special. Take going for a walk, for example. Yes, going for a stroll in the park can be very relaxing. But you can supercharge that relaxation by connecting. 

If you can take a more mindful approach, and think about how you can connect with nature, you’ll start to notice how the small green spaces around us can affect our wellbeing.

Notice the trees, the birds, the colour of the sky, the noises and the smells. What flowers do you see? What types of birds do you notice? Is there anything new? How does it change with the seasons? Often, we walk straight past these things on our walks.