Life is stressful, and every action drains some of your energy. That’s why self-care is the best way to offset the cost of high performance and living in general. The better you are at taking time for self-care, the better you’ll feel. And don’t worry, it’s not all about bubble baths.

Think beautiful vistas, not tiny screens

We all spend lots of time looking at screens. And staring at small objects activates something called focal vision. Focal vision is useful if you need a spike of focus for an intricate task, but not so good fi you’re doing ti al the time. That’s because it causes a low-level stress response – in addition to any other stress you might be experiencing.
The fix: Throughout your work day, shift your gaze to something far away, or even outside. Softening your gaze like this engages your panorama vision (think of looking at the ocean or the Grand Canyon). Relaxing, right?

Set your mood with mindfulness

The best way to care for yourself and enjoy life is to be present at the moment. And the key to being present is mindfulness. Develop a two to 10-minute mindfulness practice in the morning and the evening. There’s no right or wrong way to practice mindfulness, but it helps your body shift from fight or flight, to rest and digest. Want help brainstorming? Ask one of the Exos coaches for some ideas.

Use low-stakes movement to recharge

Those early bird mall walkers are onto something. If you usually feel like any movement exercise needs to be challenging and heart-pounding, you’re missing out. This is a great tactic to try mid-day throughout your work week. Schedule these walks before a big meeting or stressful event to take advantage of this connection between your body and your mind.