You’ve been in back-to-back meetings for what seems like two weeks, the unread messages in your inbox have hit triple digits, and you can’t recall the last time you got more than five hours of sleep. Between work, workouts, your extracurricular activities, and attempting to maintain your relationships—you’re running on empty. And if one more item gets added to your to-do list, your head might explode。
連軸轉式的會議似乎都持續兩週了，收件箱裡未讀短信都堆積成三位數了，你也記不起來上次睡夠5個小時是在什麼時候了。你空著肚子往返於工作、鍛鍊、閒暇之餘的應酬活動，以及維持人際關係之間。如果此時還要再加辦一件事，可能你的頭就要炸開了。
In our day-to-day lives, stress is inevitable. But when it’s left unmanaged, it can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health. So, when things get extra-crazy, that’s exactly when you need to stop, slow down, and de-stress. We know, we know—you don’t have time. But even though spending a day at the spa or jetting off to a luxurious beach vacation aren’t options, there are plenty of other ways to take a breather。
我們的日常生活中難免有壓力。如果留著它不處理，那它會對我們的身心造成極大的傷害。當事態變得格外不正常時，這時候你就需要停下來、慢下來、緩解壓力了。好吧，我們知道你很忙碌。雖然我們做不到花一天的時間做SPA，或是坐飛機到一個海灘邊度假，但仍有很多種讓我們喘口氣的方式。
Whether you have five minutes between meetings or can spare a few hours, here are some quick and simple methods to bring some calm into your day。
不管在會議期間是有5分鐘或是有幾小時的休息時間，這裡有幾個簡易的方法可以讓你冷靜下來。
1. If You Have 5 Minutes如果你有5分鐘
A lot of us tend to switch to staring at our phones when we have a momentary lull, but consciously doing nothing is a better way to unwind. Even if you only have a few minutes to decompress, you still can relax your mind and body with some simple techniques. If you’re at work, take a quick break from staring at your computer monitor to stand up, stretch, and take a few deep breaths. Or, if you’re somewhere else, say, waiting for a train or at the doctor’s office, close your eyes, pop in your headphones, and just take a minute to slow down. Have a hard time sitting still? Do something totally mindless, like cleaning the receipts out of your purse。
當我們可以休息片刻時，我們很多人會把精力轉移到我們的手機上，盯著它們看。但這裡有一種更好的放鬆方式就是什麼都不做。即使你只有幾分鐘時間來減壓，你仍然可以通過一些簡單的技巧放鬆你的大腦和身體。如果是在辦公桌旁，那就不要再盯著電腦看了，請站起來伸展一下，做幾次深呼吸。如果你是在其它地方，比如說是等火車或在醫生的辦公室裡等待，請閉上你的眼睛，戴上耳麥，只需要一會兒工夫去放鬆自己。覺得靜靜地坐著是一種煎熬嗎？那就做一些不需要動腦的事，比如清理一下你錢包裡的票據。
These quick fixes can also help ease your mind while traveling, before a big presentation, or in any other scenario that makes you feel nervous or overwhelmed。
這些小竅門也可以幫助你放鬆大腦，比如說在旅行時、在一場重大的演講前、或是在其它任何你會感到緊張焦慮的場合。
2. If You Have 15 Minutes
如果你有15分鐘
When you have few more minutes—a break between meetings or time for quick lunch—taking a short walk is a good way to clear your head, even if it’s just around your office building. Getting away from your current environment gives your mind something new to focus on, plus even a little bit of exercise provides endorphins that elevate your mood。
如果時間稍微多一點，比如會議之間的休息或者一頓簡單中飯的午餐時間，那走一走也會是清清大腦思路的一種理想方式，即使就只是圍著你的辦公大樓走一圈。從你當前的工作環境中擺脫出來，讓頭腦關注一些新事物，再加上一點點的鍛鍊，所有的這些做法都有助於釋放提升情緒的內啡肽。
You can also take 15 minutes to call to a friend or family member, read a magazine, or scribble some thoughts down in a journal. Or, try something that requires even less energy, like browsing gorgeous vacation destinations on Pinterest. The key is to separate yourself from everything that’s wearing you down and find a moment of levity. Even a short escape from the grind can make you refreshed (and more productive) when you return。
此外，你可以花15分鐘給朋友或是家人打個電話，或讀讀雜誌，或是把一些想法隨手寫在日誌本上。你還可以試試其它不花精力的事，比如登錄照片分享網站Pinterest，瀏覽度假勝地。關鍵要把你自己從勞心勞力的事情中分離開來，為自己找一刻清閒。即使是短暫的“迴避”，當你再回來時，你會感到更加神清氣爽。
3. If You Have an Hour
如果你有一個小時
When I have a good chunk of time to myself, I sometimes feel obligated to use it to get other things done, like errands or phone calls—but I’ve learned that the only way to use that time to truly reduce my stress level is to do something totally for me. A yoga class or quick burst of exercise is a good method to calm your spinning head, or enjoy some light-hearted TV or an ice cream or coffee date with a friend。
當我有一塊完整的時間，我常常會把它用來做其它事，像一些瑣事或是打電話之類。但實踐證明，能減壓的唯一方式是為自己做些事。上一堂瑜伽課，或是欣賞一些輕鬆愉快的電視節目，或是和朋友相約吃冰淇淋、喝咖啡。
You could also spend an hour playing with the puppies at the pet store, indulging in the total silence of a library, or browsing for random treasures at a thrift store. And sometimes, what you need most to decompress might just be sitting by yourself and people-watching while you let your brain slow down。
當然你也可以在寵物店和小狗玩上一小時，或是去圖書館享受那裡的寧靜，或是去二手店裡看看能不能淘到好東西，但有時最能減壓的一種方式是一個人自己坐著，看看其他人，這時大腦也放鬆下來了。
4. If You Have a Half-Day
如果你有半天時間
The next time you have even a half of a weekend day to yourself, try using it to get outside your traditional routine and duties. Take time to indulge in a nice experience that lets you relax and regroup. Take a day trip, attend a concert, go shopping, or treat yourself to a pedicure. In nicer weather, being outdoors—gardening, jogging, or walking your dog—can be a great way to spend time with zero stress (or cost). If you can do so without severe withdrawals, leave your iPhone at home (or at least silenced) to get the most out of your “me time。”
下次如果你有半天的休息時間，試試一日遊、聽聽音樂會、購物或是做個足療。天氣比較好的話，待在戶外會是一種很棒的方式，無壓力零成本，比如修剪花花草草、慢跑、遛狗等。如果不會造成太嚴重的後果，那麼你還可以把手機留在家裡(至少可以是靜音狀態)，好好享受一段屬於你自己的時光！
It’s safe to assume that stress is a normal part of life for all of us, but the key is making sure it doesn’t run our lives or grow out of control. Even when free time is a luxury, carving out a few minutes or hours to calm down is an important part of self-care. So there you have it—an excuse to take a coffee break or cancel your plans tonight, and finally make some time for you。
坦白說有壓力是我們所有人正常生活狀態裡的一部分，重要的是我們不能讓壓力攪亂我們的生活，或者讓壓力超出了我們的控制範圍。即使空閒時間是奢侈的，也請擠出幾分鐘或幾小時放鬆自己，這是自我愛護的重要部分。那麼你就有了理由，喝杯咖啡或是撤銷今晚計劃的理由，最終你擁有了屬於你自己的時間。