De-Frazzle: Conscious Breathing

Just pause for a few moments, close your eyes, and focus your attention on your breath.  Slowly, take in a nice, deep, calming breath, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.   Repeat this several times, pressing stale air out of your lungs on the exhale and rejuvenating all your body's cells with each inhale.  Oxygen is the basic food for every cell in your body.  You could even imagine that you are inhaling the ENERGY of RELAXATION and exhaling the ENERGY of tension, stress, and/or anything else you wish to let go of.  This is breathing consciously for a quick, refreshing break.  Its De-Frazzle-Action?

• Improves lung function
• Triggers the body's own Relaxation Response
• Oxygenates the blood
• Feels good

Here is a hand-out I have used with my yoga class...

Alternate Nostril Breathing

The index and middle fingers of the right hand are folded over and pressed against the palm or straightened out and touching the forehead.   The thumb is used to close the right nostril, and the ring and little fingers together close the left nostril.  Left-handed people may do the opposite.

Close off the right nostril with the right thumb.  Exhale and inhale through the left nostril.   Release the right nostril as you use your ring and little fingers to close off the left nostril.  Exhale and inhale through the right nostril. Continue for several minutes, alternating nostrils.

Using gentle pressure to hold each nostril closed, breathe slowly, smoothly, deeply and evenly.

Variation – pause for a few seconds after each inhale and exhale, holding both nostrils closed after the inhale.

BENEFITS:
[ Relaxes the entire body

[ Soothes the nervous system

[ Balances both sides of the brain 


Source: The Complete Yoga Book, by James Hewitt

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De-Frazzle: Time Management

A common feeling among "the frazzled” is that there just is NOT ENOUGH TIME. When retailers start selling time,  I want to be first in line to buy some.  Science has now proven that everyone has exactly the same amount of time.  What are some ways we can achieve the feeling that we actually have enough time?

We prioritize all the time. Whatever we CHOOSE to spend time on is our highest priority.  So, it helps to look at how we might be spending our time. It can be revealing to keep track of how you spend your time for an entire week—or just a few days.  Include everything, like personal grooming time, cooking, cleaning, eating, watching TV, working, talking on the phone, entertainment, chores,  email, internet, etc. 

Sometimes, we do things simply because we’ve always done those things, whether they really need to be done or not. Over time, our priorities can change. Things like keeping the house spotlessly clean or washing the car every week may become less important and we can spend less time doing them. Often, we ”SHOULD all over ourselves” doing things because we think we should do them.  Some de-frazzle-action might come from re-allocating some of that time to other, more important things. 

STOP SHOULDING ALL OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!!!

Make Two To-Do Lists
Here's another way to deal with time management....

Make 2 To-Do Lists. Start with a list of all the things you want to get done today, then look at what things are actually achievable today and move all the other items to a second list - and call it God’s list. Moving them off your list will make it easier to not worry about them.  And, some of the items on God’s list just might take care of themselves.

Writing Exercise. List the 3 things that occupy most of your time. Then list the 3 most important things (people, things, events, etc.) in your life.  Now, compare the two lists and see how they correspond. Write about what you can re-prioritize so that you spend more time focusing on what’s most important to you.

Have fun!  If you’re very serious about all the work you have to do, make sure you schedule in time to have fun.  Spending time doing what you love is one of the best ways to DE-FRAZZLE.

Time Management can be a powerful way to begin to de-frazzle!  It helps to De-Frazzle the mind , emotions and body and keeps you cool!

Better Time Management De-Frazzle-Action results in:

• Feeling like you're in Control
• Diminished feelings of over-whelm
• More time for relaxation & fun

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