How many ways? Well, you tell me.
Your massage / bodywork clients need your help. And I have a plan. It will take about 30 seconds of your time.
We’re going to make a list. You and I. When we’re done, I’ll make it pretty and you can have it to hand out to your clients.
Let me back up a bit so you know where I’m coming from.
Things are to the point in my life* where I’m attracted to any title — any where — that is a variation of “Six Easy Ways to Reduce Your Stress.” Magazines at the supermarket, ads in Facebook, clippings from my mother. I’ll take anything I can get.
The problem is that every basic list’s Top Suggestion is: “Take a bubble bath.”
Set aside for the moment that my bathtub is built for the comfort of a 4’9″, 95 lb. gymnast. Disregard the fact that the main reasons for my needing a bubble bath would be wailing at the bathroom door demanding juice or the location of the diapers.
My point is that I am not a bather and I don’t like bubbles.
I need more choices.
We can come up with some better suggestions to reduce stress. Something that would take less preparation. Something that is more realistic. Something your clients would be more inclined to do. Something other than bubble baths.
So here’s what we’ll do. We’ll collect your top, tried-and-true stress relievers, your attitude adjusters. It can be anything. Simple. Cute. Spiritual. Deep. Cost effective is best, but whatever. Just not “bubble bath.” I’ll compile them in a list and post them.
You can copy the list and give it to your clients. You can email it. You can include it with your gift certificates. You can make 90,000 copies and drop them out of a helicopter at the 4th of July parade.
Let’s use your experience to care for your clients even when they’re not directly under your hands. Let’s give your clients something useful to hold on to — while reminding them you do care.
Leave your fabulous stress-reducer ideas in the comments box OR, if you’re on Facebook, you can leave it at the end of my “AAIIIGH! I don’t WANT to take a bath” note. Whatever works.
Seriously. I need you on this one. Your clients need you. But mostly me.
Ready? Go.
All my best,
Eileen
*Selling our house, moving in with my mom, building a house.
Gray hairs are sproinging out all over.
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12 users commented in " ?# Ways to Reduce Your Massage Clients’ Stress, or I don’t WAAAAANT to take a bath "
Here are my three favorite!
1. Smile for one full minute. You can’t help but feel better.
2. Give yourself a quick scalp massage. It’s a super duper stress reliever.
3. Take 3 big audible sighs. Yes, people might look at you funny but it works!
Sweet, Angela!
See, now, those are ones I haven’t seen suggested (and if I have, I was too caught up in the bubble bath thing). I will absolutely try the 3 sighs.
Mine is to commit a purposeful act of kindness.
Loopy-granola, I know. BUT! It works for me.
Just because I’m having a twisty day doesn’t mean I have to share my twistiness with everyone else. If I come out of my self-absorption long enough to put a little kindness into someone else’s day, then I feel better. And they feel better. And we all feel better together. And our collective heart rates go down.
Alright. Keep ‘em coming.
Vitamin B complex
Donna Eden’s Neurovascular Hold (on the “oh my god points”):
http://innersourceblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/neurovascular-hold.html
Many of my clients work in an office setting. Stress on the job is a big factor, especially now that many companies are downsizing.
I tell my clients if they are able to get up and stretch! Walk to the water cooler or as we in Wisconsin refer to it “the bubbler”.
If getting up isn’t an option, do a chair stretch! Turn your upper body to the left, hold the arm rest of the chair and count to 2, repeat on the opposite side. An easy hamstring stretch is to put your legs in front of you, crossing at the ankles. Bend forward till you feel the stretch, not pain. Count to 2 and switch the ankles.
These always work for me and they cost basically nothing:
1. Get a golf ball, take off shoes/socks, sit in a comfy chair where your feet easily reach the floor, then place the golf ball under one of your feet and gently roll it around in the arch area and behind the toes. It helps to close your eyes and just recline back as you do this. Repeat under the other foot. (Great for tired feet, and if your feet feel good, you usually feel better overall.)
2. Lie on a bed or on the floor with a low pillow under your head. Make sure the room is darkened a bit and quiet. If you prefer very soft music playing, this is fine, too. I advise setting an alarm before you begin this, because it’s easy to fall asleep. Close your eyes and begin slow, deep breathing. Now, concentrate on RELAXING each specific area of the body starting with your feet. Just feel them become floppy, heavy, whatever as you breathe deeply. Next, relax your calves, knees, hips/pelvis, back, arms and hands, shoulders, neck and finally the facial muscles. It’s best to have at least 20-30 min. to do this.
A 1-minute Aura Sweep. It’s really easy and calms all manner of angst! Just imagine yourself the size of a Barbie doll. With “blade fingers” make 3 sweeps from top of your doll head to your Barbie feet in the front, turn yourself around and another 3 sweeps top to bottom on the back side. First sweep is center line, 2nd is further out and 3rd is your outer side area. Flick the fingers to shake it off. Take a deep breath and smile. You’ll instantly feel relaxation flow over you. Repeat as necessary….
Get a hug!
Could be from your child, from your partner/significant other, or from a good friend. Even an on-line hug will do in a pinch. Hugs make the world a better place! They make you feel better, and they make the other person feel better. Better yet, make it a group hug!
(((HUGS)))
Before you leave the car, sit back, close your eyes and take a couple DEEP breaths. Leave soothing music on if you’d like; and peacefully move on to the business at hand.
Hey Eileen,
What about ‘Stretch Your Way to Sanity!’ Take a break and stretch your arms up and then behind you. Roll your head in slow, large circles. Lean slowly from side to side while breathing deeply.
Hope that helps!
Angela W.
Hi Eileen,
perhaps purchase some becalm balls (stillpoint inducers) if you don’t have time to fit in a massage or cranialsacral therapy session. The balls tap take you out of the sympathetic nervous system into the parasympathetic nervous system, they work great. If you are having challenges sleeping then they will also help you sleep better and get their quicker.
If not I also journal, sometimes just writing down exactly how I feel without worry about hurting anyones feeling is therapeutic and maybe it will help sort out your fears, concerns, worries and put them in perspective.
Praying also helps, ask for something specific for that moment, strength, patience, understanding etc.
Good luck with all the changes, once things have settled down I am sure you will be glad that you did them,
Tina H
What a great bunch of offerings! Thank you!
By the bye, my blog and my email notifications aren’t talking to each other so I apologize for the delay in your comments being posted.
I think what I’m getting from this is that to reduce stress, the stressed have to stop and take time for themselves. I think that’s the overarching message. The idea is to find something that works for You.
I know, I know, it’s a really basic concept. But I wonder if people (me) look for stress reducing tips and reject them all because it involves stopping what you’re doing and taking care of yourself for a minute?
Hmm … Sounds like we need a newsletter or something on that.
PS:
@Heather — Love the blog link. I’ve bookmarked it and sent it to The Man.
@Kim — Thanks. I needed that.
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