SLOW

R&R

Even the mightiest eagle comes down to the treetops to rest

~ Ugandan Proverb

Any parent, teacher or student in an International school will tell you, this is a frenetic time of year, when there is a lot of extra stress for many people. The academic calendar has an impact on many; students, their teachers and their families. In the Northern hemisphere, thousands of students are preparing for final exams. Their teachers employ a range of strategies for one last push, cramming and consolidating knowledge. And many ‘expat’ workers around the world are packing up and getting ready to move on, a convenient time to relocate, as their kids complete another school year.

My perfect antidote to stress is a glass of wine with a view of our kopje,* a.k.a ‘Kopje watching’ at Magpie. But sometimes, it’s not that easy to erase what’s bothering you.

Every one of us has experienced pressure at some point caused by family, money, work, health or managing change.

Sometimes it’s all of the above.

I’ve worked 15 hour days where I thrived on stress; consumed a diet of grabbed snacks, took very little sleep and washed it all down with plenty of black coffee.

The body was young and forgiving.

I would imagine that living a settled life might be less disconcerting; Having lots of things that are established, knowing where everything is and being sure of your surroundings. We have often said that it would have been easier to live life in one place, to immerse yourself in the familiar and not inflict the barrage of change.

But we didn’t do that.

Instead we resigned from our jobs, packed up our life, said farewells, got married and moved internationally…7 times.  There have been many stress points along that journey

What have been the big stress points in your life and how did you cope?

And things that rattle us will often manifest itself in our health. It can disturb our sleep, upset our mood or affect our appetite. It depletes our immune system and plunges us into a state of anxiety. It’s not a recipe for good health.

So, what can we do to minimize this?

Without doubt, diet plays it’s role here. But are there foods which are particularly stress busting?

Many health experts claim that some superfoods will help to calm us down. Noshing on nuts, peppers, spinach, oatmeal and dark chocolate all have health benefits. And of course, there is remarkable rooibos tea, packed full of anti oxidants.

So, apart from diet, how can we tackle tension and slow down? How do we avoid becoming too stressed or overwhelmed by situations and people around us?

There are many practical things we can do to manage testing times, reduce anxiety and take things steady. We all need to take rest and SLOW down regularly.

• Work backwards from deadlines and give yourself a realistic timeframe for tasks
• Make lists and write yourself reminders
• Try not to worry (it won’t change a thing)
• Meditate
• Laugh – put on your favourite comedy show or get out and do something silly
• Stare at someone or something that makes you calm
• Get your OMMM on! Yoga always calms the mind.
• Candle gaze
• Consume sleep inducing teas
• Use soft lighting
• Soak in a warm bath with calming essential oil
• Book a massage/reflexology session(s)

What would you add to the list? How do you manage your stress and slow down?

*kopje – a small hill (South Africa)