Being a music teacher can be stressful. If you're reading this, I don't have to tell you that.
After having a bit of a breakdown back in 2018, I became obsessed with all things stress-reduction.
Especially the weird things.
Everyone's heard about meditation, yoga, exercise, and all the other common advice you hear.
But what I'm talking about are things you probably haven't heard of before. Weird things.
I call them weird because...well, people think I'm weird when I tell them I do them.
And I have yet to meet anyone else who's ever done any of them.
But that's another reason they're weird. If they weren't, everyone would be doing them.
In this post, we'll take a look at my top six weird stress-reducing activities that will keep you from going crazy.
They're great to use in a pinch.
Like when a parent or student says something rude to you. Or your tenured colleague lashes out at you at the monthly faculty meeting for the twentieth time.
But they're best used on the regular.
Mental health maintenance, as it were.
After all, if you only exercised when you felt overweight and stopped when you didn't, where would you be?
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #1: Humming
You already think this is BS, don't you.
Seriously, though.
Don't knock it 'til you try it.
Humming has been proven to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of your nervous system that helps you calm down.
You can do a simple one-note hum. Or you can do all manner of vibrato. You can keep your lips together. Or, you can make an "ooo" shape with your month. It's all good.
Try it for 60 seconds with deep inhales and controlled, long exhales. You'll feel a difference at the end.
If you want to learn more about this, here's a blog post from the Mayo Clinic about it.
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #2: Wim Hof Breathing
This type of breathing practice has been popularized by Wim Hof. It will bring more oxygen to your brain and your body. And when you have more oxygen flowing, it's easier to calm down.
It works like this.
- Lie down or sit down somewhere comfortable. Do not do this while you're driving, swimming, or anywhere else that becoming a little dizzy could become dangerous.
- Take 30-40 deep breaths in and out through the belly, chest, and head.
- Hold your breath out until you feel the urge to breathe again. Set a timer if you like. A tingling sensation throughout your body is normal. When you feel the urge to breathe, don't fight it.
- Take a deep breath and hold for 15 seconds.
- Repeat steps 1-4. With each round, you will be able to hold your breath out longer. Try this for three or four rounds.
This also regulates your blood's pH balance, from acidic to alkaline.
Do it in the morning, and your blood chemistry is set for the day! Or, you can do it on the fly if you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
Of everything I've tried over the years to settle the noise in my head, this alone has been the most effective.
To read more about this, and the following weird stress-reducing activity, check out The Wim Hof Method website.
And if you want to try a guided practice for beginners, check out this video.
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #3: Cold Showers
Was your first reaction, "No way!"...?
I get it. It's not for the faint of heart. But research indicates that there are stress-reduction and health benefits to be gained here.
The science works something like this.
You body has a lot of blood vessels. Enough to wrap around the entire world twice. And throughout these blood vessels are small muscles, capillaries, that push blood through your body.
When you get cold, these capillaries tighten to preserve your core body temperature.
When you get hot, they loosen to preserve your core body temperature.
The problem is, we live in the most temperature-controlled environment mankind has ever known. Between AC, heating systems, and the clothing we wear, our body doesn't need to "work" that much to preserve our core body temperature.
The result? Those capillaries are weak. They haven't had a workout in a while.
And due to weak capillaries, the heart has to work harder to push all that blood through your body.
That's where gradual cold exposure comes in.
When you take a cold shower, you're giving all 10 billion (that's right...billion) capillaries a workout. They tighten to preserve your core body temperature.
And over time, they operate more efficiently.
People who've practiced this report a heart rate reduction of as much as 25-30 BPM over time.
The key word is gradual.
You can start by taking a hot shower, then ending with 30 seconds of cold.
Every week, add another 30 seconds.
And over time, you can eliminate the hot part of your shower.
Believe it or not, as you continue this and experience the benefits, you begin to crave the cold. It's a mind over body thing.
I've started every morning with a 5-minute cold shower for about a year now. The difference in stress levels is palpable.
I have yet to meet anyone who's tried this. You may be the first! Do be sure to let me know if you decide to give it a go!
Cold exposure is another component of the Wim Hof Method, which you can read more about here.
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #4: Introspective Writing
I thought this one was complete bull until I tried it. And it was life-changing.
There's a lot of noise going on in your head. And when you're stressed, that noise takes hold of you. All without you realizing it.
When you take some time to write about what's in there, you give it a concrete form. You can confront it. Even if you only take 5 minutes to try it.
One of my favorites is the thought dump.
This is where you literally write everything that's going on in your head. Your joys, fears, concerns, worries, deadlines, tasks, frustrations, all of it.
Totally unfiltered. That's the most important part.
Just be sure your writing is for your eyes only. Either in a private notebook, or in a secure place on your computer.
If you want to be extra-safe, you can trash or delete your writing when you're finished. It's about the process. Not the product.
Try a thought dump for 5-10 minutes, and you'll likely feel some relief at the end.
If you want to learn about more types of introspective writing with guided prompts, you can check out our 10-day introspective writing course here on Musiciative.
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #5: Have a Conversation with Yourself
I'm not suggesting that you aspire to be like the proverbial homeless person on a park bench.
This is actually another writing prompt. But it's one of my favorites, so it gets its own section here.
Having a written conversation with yourself can help you get out of your own head.
Write questions to yourself. And then answer them.
This can help you figure out why you're stressed. Why you're afraid of things. Why you're procrastinating. Why you're frustrated.
And if you want to try something really out there, try this.
Take a notebook.
Write your questions to yourself with your dominant hand.
And write the answers with your non-dominant hand.
The theory here is that writing with your non-dominant hand helps you access parts of your brain you don't normally use. You may unearth some golden nuggets of self-discovery you never knew were there!
Or it might a weird exercise that you never bother with again...
There's only one way to find out. And that's to give it a try.
It only takes a few minutes, after all.
Weird Stress-Reducing Activity #6: Radical Honesty
In the book Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton, the author writes that most of us are lying most of the time. And we suffer because of it.
Lying to other people about how we feel. Even lying to ourselves about how we feel.
Now, that might be a little strong. But, I think there's some merit to this.
How often have you had to hold your tongue when a student, parent, or colleague was rude to you? Holding back the truth of how you feel to "keep the peace?."
But then you're stuck with the frustration, resentment, and hurt the rest of the day.
Radical honesty is the answer to this.
I'm not suggesting you speak the unfiltered truth about everything and everyone at all times.
But, when someone is frustrating you, call them out on it. In a kind way, of course.
A couple tips on this.
If someone is violating your boundaries or bringing negativity into your life, you can't go wrong with "I feel" statements.
Something like...
I feel like you're accusing me of being unprofessional when you say those things, and I don't like it.
As opposed to...
You're accusing me of being unprofessional.
The first statement is something no one can argue with. The second statement is one that can be taken as a personal attack.
Another example is if someone is being passive aggressive. This is where "you seem" sentences come in handy.
You seem like you're frustrated with me, and that's making me uncomfortable. Can we talk about it?
By starting with "you seem," that leaves room for you to back out of it if you're wrong about the situation.
If someone asks you to do things that are making you overwhelmed or stressed, just say it!
I'm sorry, I'm not going to be able to take on this project. My schedule is already overbooked, and I'm missing out on time with my family.
And don't be afraid to ask for help, an extension, whatever you need.
I'm feeling overwhelmed with this project and want to prioritize my health and rest. It would be really helpful if I could get an extension.
Most of us are afraid of being honest because we're afraid there will be repercussions. But you'd be surprised. Most of the time, the other party is more understanding than you think.
And if they're not, then you can reconsider whether you want to keep working with that party.
Perceived Time Starvation: A Mindset Flip
When it comes to wellness practices, whether normal or weird, the all-time excuse is "I don't have time."
And believe me, I get it.
When you start on a personal wellness task, it's easy to feel the overwhelm of the day's tasks creeping in.
And it's easy to feel like you're wasting time by humming, breathing, meditating, etc. Or maybe even that you're being selfish by taking this time for yourself.
But consider this.
When you take time for your wellness in small doses, the benefits stick with you for the whole day.
And you're able to do your work better and faster.
So in that respect, you can't afford to not try these things. Both for yourself, and for the work you do with students and colleagues.
In fact, over time, you'll find you can get more done than you ever thought possible. All with less stress.
It's all very possible. But only if you take that first step and give it a try.
Now It's Your Turn
My personal challenge to you is to give one of these practices a try! Let us know how it went in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this post, don't forget to sign up for the Musiciative mailing list.
For all the meaningful work you do, you deserve a career and life to look forward to. Without the stress.
