It seems like we hear about “self-care” a lot more these days but what if your schedule doesn’t allow much time for taking care of your mental well-being? How can you learn to stay mentally healthy and reduce anxiety in your day-to-day life when you don’t have a lot of free time?
Well, taking that first step can be as easy as breathing, says Sarah Schwartz of Southern Om Hot Yoga.
“The first and easiest thing is to take a deep breath,” Schwartz says. “Inhale through your nose, allowing your lungs to fill up with air, and then exhale through the mouth. Intentional breathing can calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. This can be done for as long as needed to bring a greater sense of calm to the body and mind.”
Katie Hughes, owner of the Indigo Flow yoga studio, says that you can bring some positivity into your day right when you wake up.
“It’s a little more pragmatic than mindful,” Hughes says, “but taking a moment when you first wake up to set yourself three clear intentions for the day, that’s been very helpful for me. In fact, at the beginning of each yoga class, we set an intention for the class.”
Hughes adds that one big way to bring some peace to your day is to put down the phone for a while.
“Simplification and boundaries are needed now more than ever,” Hughes says. “Not only do we have connections to everyone at our fingertips, but they have connections to us, so that drain on your energy is very real. By taking these timeouts, you’re literally recharging yourself because you’re disconnecting from other people’s energy pulling at you.”
And whether you have time for a full class or not, Schwartz says that yoga, even a little bit, can help ease your stress.
“If you can’t make a full class, consider just doing a few Sun Salutations in the morning to open your body and mind for the day,” she says. “And chair yoga can be super-accessible while at work. Anytime you are breathing consciously and moving your body, you have an opportunity to be mindful and lower your anxiety and stress levels.”
Five yoga studios in Greenville
Soul Yoga
25 Delano Drive
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 332-YOGA
Greenville Yoga
3221 Old Buncombe Rd
Greenville, SC 29609
(864) 567-0848
Southern Om Hot Yoga
1116 S Main St Ste D Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 520-8777
Indigo Flow
1270 Pendleton St, Greenville, SC 29611
(864) 884-5606
Ninety Degree Yoga
115 Pelham Rd Ste 11 Greenville, SC 29615
(864) 631-8706
