Acupressure 101: You Can Relieve Your Stress Without Leaving Your Desk

Almost everybody I know experiences stress at work. It’s the new norm, or at least that’s true amongst high achievers and A-type personalities. There are different kinds of work stress. There is the type that comes from having a mean boss, the type that comes from an intense work environment, and the type that comes from simply being on the computer too long or sitting too long. Regardless of which type of stress you are experiencing, acupressure can help you release some of it.

Not all job-related stress is bad of course. I’ve been in sales almost my whole life, and the adrenaline rush that comes when things are rockin can easily be misinterpreted as stress. That kind of stress is good though, and it can indicate progress and let us know that we are stepping out of our comfort zones.

Regardless of whether your work stress is the good kind or the bad kind, it can manifest in your body and make you feel physically bad during the day. You can release some of that tension by doing some acupressure techniques on yourself. It will be like giving yourself a mini-massage without ever leaving your desk. It can even help you get rid of stress headaches.

This chart simply called Acupressure 101 (by Yumi Sakugawa at WonderHowTo) will run down the basics that you need to know to relax a little this afternoon at your desk. If you need to relieve stress, pull down and massage your ear lobes. If you need an energy boost, rub the back of your hand. If you need to relieve a stress headache, press the bottom of your foot (in the middle). If all else fails, maybe you need a 10-minute power nap to rejuvenate you. You can click over to How To Take The Perfect Nap to learn more about that.