This is your Member Reference Number (MRN). You’ll need to provide this when you make an appointment with an EAP counselor or contact your EAP by phone.

Anthem provides automatic translation into multiple languages, courtesy of Google Translate. This tool is provided for your convenience only. The English language version is considered the most accurate, and in the event of a discrepancy between the translations, the English version will prevail. This translation tool is not controlled by Anthem, and the Anthem Privacy Statement will not apply. Please read Google's privacy statement. If you want Google to translate the Anthem website, select a language.

Now Playing

Daily Relaxation Tools

  • Personal Growth
  • Mental Health
  • Podcasts

Daily Relaxation Tools

Exercises for home or work. By Dr. Brian P. McDonough. This audio file plays for 0 minutes and 49 seconds.

You can also

Download

View transcript

One of the most difficult things to do is relax. Think about it, you can get angry at the drop of a hat, you can become nervous in a stressful situation, but how do you relax?

One way, one expensive way, is to take a long vacation away from stress. But on a day-to-day basis, I have a couple of suggestions:

  1. First, try deep breathing. You can do this at work and no one will notice. Breathe from the diaphragm and breathe in and out slowly.
  2. Another technique is progressive deep muscle relaxation, alternately tense and then release groups of muscles through out the body. This works well if you think you are tensed you can do it once and again and again and again. Literally it can be done everyday or several times a day and remember you can do it at work and it gives you a feeling that you are one up on everybody else.

I am Dr Brian McDonald.

More about this Topics

  • Deflate the Pressure

  • Caring for a loved one with autism

  • Connecting the dots on wellness

  • Don't Worry, Breathe Happy

  • Talking about suicide

Other Topics

    • Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms—Part 2
    • Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 1)
    • Languishing: Pandemic "Brain Fog"
    • Coping with the Stress of Relocation After a Disaster (Part 3): Stress in Young People
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Signs and Symptoms
    • Self-Care: Remaining Resilient 2
    • Identifying Signs of Addiction in a Loved One
    • Rays of Sunshine
    • Coping with Change
    • Parenting: Navigating in the Eye of the Storm
    • Optimism and Recuperation
    • Winter Blues
    • Recognizing an eating disorder
    • Exercise and Depression
    • Pinpointing Your Sleep Problem

More about this Topics

  • Deflate the Pressure

  • Caring for a loved one with autism

  • Connecting the dots on wellness

  • Don't Worry, Breathe Happy

  • Talking about suicide

Other Topics

    • Self-Care: Remaining Resilient 2
    • Identifying Signs of Addiction in a Loved One
    • Rays of Sunshine
    • Coping with Change
    • Parenting: Navigating in the Eye of the Storm
    • Optimism and Recuperation
    • Winter Blues
    • Recognizing an eating disorder
    • Exercise and Depression
    • Pinpointing Your Sleep Problem
    • Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms—Part 2
    • Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 1)
    • Languishing: Pandemic "Brain Fog"
    • Coping with the Stress of Relocation After a Disaster (Part 3): Stress in Young People
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Signs and Symptoms