Tax time is here, for businesses it’s getting all the proper W-2s and 1099s out to their employees. For employees, it’s collecting all their paperwork from wage statements to mortgage interest to stock dividends. Taxes are never fun, not even for those who get a refund back. You have too many numbers to crunch and too many T’s to cross and to many I’s to dot.
Don’t let the tax crunch get you down and try to utilize some of the following steps to help you avoid stressing out and burn the tax fat:
· Warm-Up every day whether you actually work out or not. Daily stretching can help alleviate muscle tension and fatigue. It can relieve stress. It can get you help you shake off the remains of sleep and limber up for the day.
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Be sure to move your body through a full range of motion. No sluggish movements. Start slow, but then extend so that you are moving your body into full extension. If you swing your arms, be sure to swing them up and down as well as back and forth. Get the blood flowing and try to let the tensions that crowd your mind bleed away as you get your blood pumping.
· If you’ve been sitting at a desk for hours going over the numbers and you can feel the tension in the back of your neck and crowding its way up to your mind. Stand up and march in place. Swing your arms forward and back. Lift your knees towards your chest and really give it a good shake up. Marching can help increase your circulation and let tense muscles relax.
· Never stay in the same position for too long. The problem with so many desk jobs is the strain to the back. For Moms it can be sitting down on the floor or hunkering between standing and squatting all day long. Don’t let your body settle in one place, get it up and get it moving.
· Give yourself 10-minute breaks. Whether you choose marching, strolling around the block or a good set of deep stretches. Give your mind and your body 10 minute breaks from the day.
· Don’t let your workout suffer because you’ve got paperwork to do or one more errand to run or you really want another 10 minutes of sleep. Seriously, skipping a workout here or there because your sick is one thing, but remind yourself how much better you’re going to feel after you get going. The hardest part of any workout is the five minutes between considering skipping and actually getting started.
· Listen to your body and your mind. Fatigue is your enemy. Late nights may be a requirement when you have an infant or a sick child to tend to, but the paperwork you sacrifice your sleep for will be there tomorrow. You may have to work on it during lunch, but don’t lose hours of sleep. Fatigue slows down your reflexes and your mind. Your child needs regular sleep and so do you.
· Don’t forget to breathe. Breathing is a vital function for living, but it’s also a vital function of living well. Breathing can help your muscles relax, reduce tension and even curb an angry outburst. Have you ever noticed that when your short-tempered, your breathing grows shallow and your heart rate increases?
The old adage of counting to ten forces someone to take deep breaths, deep breathing slows down the heart rate and actually reduces frustration, stress and anger. When your anger is reduced, your stress levels decrease and vice versa. You will feel more effective, more successful and less likely to give up.