• Maintain your comfort when watching/participating. Sit somewhere comfortable (you might even switch locations from time to time to mix things up), wear what makes you feel best, keep a drink nearby, burn a candle, rub an essential oil on pressure points or spray a favorite room scent if this is something you enjoy.
• Step away from the screen(s)! Consider closing your laptop, pressing ctrl+alt+del on your desktop, locking your iPad, etc. Stand up and walk away from your tech – don’t be tempted to pick up your cellphone as a substitute.
• To give your eyes some rest from too much screen time, consider looking at something far away at least once every hour or so, or reading a book or short article in print format.
• Get creative with some adult coloring, crocheting, journaling, whatever arty outlet you choose.
• Have a cup of tea or juice, and a light mind-boosting, stress relieving snack – some recommendations are dark chocolate, almonds, honey, mango, or anything crunchy: carrots, pretzels, celery with peanut butter.
• Stretch! Unclench your jaw and relax your shoulders. You can use this great guide on the best moves for office workers i.e., those spending a lot of time at the computer, or seated in office style chairs. Use a foam roller/pressure massager if you have one. If the tapping technique is something that interests you, consult this article from Harper’s Bazaar.
• Open a window or step out in the air for a few minutes. Take some deep breaths and enjoy the freshness of outside.
• Breathe! University of Michigan has some wonderful instructions on three stress busting techniques. If you own an Apple Watch, use the Breathe app to focus in.
• Take a power snooze. Some studies show that 15-30 minutes can be more beneficial than longer periods of sleep in the middle of the day. Also consider following The Nap Ministry on social media – an organization founded by Tricia Hersey that promotes the revolutionary and resistant power of napping in a world obsessed with productivity and exploitative capitalism.
• Recite some affirmations about yourself (you might even do this in front of a mirror, or particularly loudly). Alternatively make a list of things you are grateful for, or three good things that have happened to you this week.
• Listen to a favorite song or watch a silly cat video on YouTube.
• Cuddle a pet, plush toy, or even just wrap your arms around your body and embrace yourself!
Guided Meditations
The website Mindful has a number of great guided meditations for lots of different purposes: you might consider the 10 minute exercise to curb gossiping, or a 15 minute guided meditation on the Pride flag.
Some popular meditation or mindfulness apps include: Insight Timer, Headspace, Calm (these may offer in-app purchases for premium features).
Follow these instructions from Anxiety Canada to perform a simple but effective grounding body scan.