How to use the online timer
Fifteen minutes is enough for tension to actually leave the body rather than merely being noticed. Progressive muscle relaxation is the most reliable structure: tense a muscle group deliberately for a few seconds, release it, and move on, working from the feet up to the face. The contrast between the two states is the point, because a shoulder that has been held tight since Monday no longer registers as tight until it lets go.
The setting counts for more here than in practices aimed at building a skill, since the whole object is lowering physical tension. Somewhere dim and quiet, a temperature that does not require thinking about, and a position the body is not fighting. Lying on the floor with the knees bent works well for a back that has been in a chair all day.
Jaw, shoulders and hands are where most people store it, and going to those directly rather than waiting for general relaxation to reach them makes better use of a short session. When the time is up, do not spring straight into the next task from a standing start; a minute of easing back into normal movement keeps some of the benefit rather than spending it immediately on the walk back to the desk.
Common questions
What is progressive muscle relaxation?
Tensing a muscle group deliberately for a few seconds, releasing it, and moving on, working from the feet upwards. The contrast is the point, since long-held tension often stops registering as tension.
Where does tension usually sit?
Jaw, shoulders and hands for most people. Going to those directly, rather than waiting for general relaxation to reach them, makes better use of a short session.
Cookie policy