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。连轴转式的会议似乎都持续两周了，收件箱里未读短信都堆积成三位数了，你也记不起来上次睡够5个小时是在什么时候了。你空着肚子往返于工作、锻炼、闲暇之余的应酬活动，以及维持人际关系之间。如果此时还要再加办一件事，可能你的头就要炸开了。

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。我们的日常生活中难免有压力。如果留着它不处理，那它会对我们的身心造成极大的伤害。当事态变得格外不正常时，这时候你就需要停下来、慢下来、缓解压力了。好吧，我们知道你很忙碌。虽然我们做不到花一天的时间做SPA，或是坐飞机到一个海滩边度假，但仍有很多种让我们喘口气的方式。

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。不管在会议期间是有5分钟或是有几小时的休息时间，这里有几个简易的方法可以让你冷静下来。

1. If You Have 5 Minutes如果你有5分钟

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。当我们可以休息片刻时，我们很多人会把精力转移到我们的手机上，盯着它们看。但这里有一种更好的放松方式就是什么都不做。即使你只有几分钟时间来减压，你仍然可以通过一些简单的技巧放松你的大脑和身体。如果是在办公桌旁，那就不要再盯着电脑看了，请站起来伸展一下，做几次深呼吸。如果你是在其它地方，比如说是等火车或在医生的办公室里等待，请闭上你的眼睛，戴上耳麦，只需要一会儿工夫去放松自己。觉得静静地坐着是一种煎熬吗?那就做一些不需要动脑的事，比如清理一下你钱包里的票据。

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。这些小窍门也可以帮助你放松大脑，比如说在旅行时、在一场重大的演讲前、或是在其它任何你会感到紧张焦虑的场合。

2. If You Have 15 Minutes如果你有15分钟

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。如果时间稍微多一点，比如会议之间的休息或者一顿简单中饭的午餐时间，那走一走也会是清清大脑思路的一种理想方式，即使就只是围着你的办公大楼走一圈。从你当前的工作环境中摆脱出来，让头脑关注一些新事物，再加上一点点的锻炼，所有的这些做法都有助于释放提升情绪的内啡肽。

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分钟给朋友或是家人打个电话，或读读杂志，或是把一些想法随手写在日志本上。你还可以试试其它不花精力的事，比如登录照片分享网站Pinterest，浏览度假胜地。关键要把你自己从劳心劳力的事情中分离开来，为自己找一刻清闲。即使是短暂的“回避”，当你再回来时，你会感到更加神清气爽。

3. If You Have an Hour如果你有一个小时

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。当我有一块完整的时间，我常常会把它用来做其它事，像一些琐事或是打电话之类。但实践证明，能减压的唯一方式是为自己做些事。上一堂瑜伽课，或是欣赏一些轻松愉快的电视节目，或是和朋友相约吃冰淇淋、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。当然你也可以在宠物店和小狗玩上一小时，或是去图书馆享受那里的宁静，或是去二手店里看看能不能淘到好东西，但有时最能减压的一种方式是一个人自己坐着，看看其他人，这时大脑也放松下来了。

4. If You Have a Half-Day如果你有半天时间

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时间，试试一日游、听听音乐会、购物或是做个足疗。天气比较好的话，待在户外会是一种很棒的方式，无压力零成本，比如修剪花花草草、慢跑、遛狗等。如果不会造成太严重的后果，那么你还可以把手机留在家里(至少可以是静音状态)，好好享受一段属于你自己的时光!

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。坦白说有压力是我们所有人正常生活状态里的一部分，重要的是我们不能让压力搅乱我们的生活，或者让压力超出了我们的控制范围。即使空闲时间是奢侈的，也请挤出几分钟或几小时放松自己，这是自我爱护的重要部分。那么你就有了理由，喝杯咖啡或是撤销今晚计划的理由，最终你拥有了属于你自己的时间。