Many years ago, when one of the Big Four firms whom I worked for moved into its new state of the art building, the entire office received a gift pack. It contained a branded sipper bottle, a pen stand with a clock and a yellow smiley foam ball.

Everyone understood the utility of the first 2 gifts but few knew that the smiley ball was meant for stress management.

I liked Smiley as I called the ball and although I did not need to use it, kept it as a token of my time in the firm.

Years later, when Coco came to live with us, I gifted it to her until her puppy teeth started to come out. Then I realized there was an element of danger to her health. Smiley was hidden away in a safe place and replaced with more appropriate toys for a puppy.

Recently I took out Smiley for to show my mother how to use it to lower her blood pressure. Coco, who has had a setback to her recovery since my last post on melting moments took a fancy to it. Currently Smiley is acting as her stress ball. (That’s her with Smiley in the photo.)

Can a low-cost squishy ball actually provide medical benefits?

The answer is yes.

Using a stress ball–a foam or gel-filled ball that provides some resistance to pressure–can reduce stress immediately. A few squeezes in a short session help to release stress but there are other benefits too.

In this post, I’m sharing 3 practical applications of the stress ball and it does not have to look like Smiley.

Caveat: In case of a severe condition, please consult your doctor before trying any of these exercises. Where researchers and reports contain warnings, I have provided them in the relevant application. In particular, for lowering blood pressure where more research is required.

The applications that I am going to share are meant to supplement any ongoing treatment. They are not as an alternative to proper medical care and are for information only.

How stress balls relieve stress

A stress ball is also known as a stress reliever because it is designed to relieve stress through repeated squeezing of the ball. One immediate explanation for its ability to relieve stress is that it deflects the attention of the user from the cause of the stress. When we squeeze the ball, not only does our focus shift, but also nerves in the palm transmit signals to the brain to increase endorphin production resulting in an increase our sense of well-being.

Squeezing the ball results in hand muscles repeatedly contracting and relaxing. The flexing of our fingers during the squeezing exercise promotes blood circulation in the palm and to some extent in the forearm too.

This increase in blood circulation helps the user to get rid of pent-up irritation, tension, anxiety, and depression and feel lighter.

Another exercise that engages muscles up the entire arm while providing a light massage to the fingers, palms and wrist is to roll the ball against a table. Repeat the back-and-forth motion up to 20 times with each hand.

Isometric exercises help to lower blood pressure

I recently read an article which stated that the American Heart Association had released a report on combining alternative therapy with medication prescribed by doctors to lower blood pressure.

The article spoke about known methods with exercise leading the study as the most effective non-medicine approach to reducing high blood pressure.

This was followed by breathing exercises and then behavioral therapies like transcendental meditation.

The point that caught my attention was the mention of the considerable blood pressure lowering effect of isometric handgrip exercises. The report warned that, “caution is required at this point because only a few relatively small studies have been published. Results from larger-scale high-quality studies are necessary to draw firm conclusions.”

It also mentioned that handgrip exercises should be avoided by patients with severely uncontrolled high blood pressure (180/110 mm Hg or higher).

Provided you don’t have uncontrolled high blood pressure, here is a simple technique that you can use for alternative hand ball squeezes.

Hold the stress ball in the palm of your hand and squeeze it for 10 seconds and then slowly release your grip. Repeat the exercise with the other hand. Do this 4 times daily.

Smiley Balls come in different colors – choose one you are attracted to!

Improve wrist strength to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

I wrote at length about carpal tunnel syndrome in my post “Is your wrist telling you to relax?”. It has simple exercises to relieve the pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury.

Stress balls can help to improve hand and wrist strength. To strengthen the wrist, use the same exercise as the one described for lowering your blood pressure above.

To improve your finger and thumb strength, pinch the ball with the thumb and each finger, one at a time. Then pinch the ball between just the fingers, giving the thumb a rest. Hold each pinch for a count of three and repeat up to twenty times or to the point of fatigue.

All of the exercises that I have shared can be done while sitting in one place and during short breaks.

In conclusion, squeezing the stress ball, pinching it or simply rolling it on a table can help to improve our sense of well-being providing us with the opportunity to help ourselves to feel better.  Who does not want to feel good?

These are just 3 applications that I shared. Which of these stress ball exercises have you tried?

Resources: You might to check out to learn more

Handgrip Exercises May Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Are You Heading for a Burnout?

Karmic Ally Coaching’s Stress Management with Chakra Balancing Exercises Bundle will help. Download your personal us product clicking on the image below or click here

Written By: Vatsala Shukla

Workspace stress is a real phenomenon that needs to be addressed.

I had my second tryst with a slipped disc injury in 2011 when a BPO van hit my car. The rear end of my vehicle required denting and painting. But the real damage was the resulting jolt to my back, a slipped disc and many painfully frustrating weeks recuperating.

At the time, the good orthopedic surgeon told me to take comfort from the fact that considering my age group, my back was doing well otherwise.

It appears that back problems, herniated discs and posture problems are increasing among the 21–35-year age group due to the workplace environment.

I thought he was being kind but recently, my neighbor’s 21-year-old daughter who has just joined the workforce is down with a back problem and complete bed rest. Her mother tells me the workplace environment is stressful and her recent ailment a direct result of sitting at her desk the whole day.

When it comes to workspace stress, we may not be able to control everything in our workplace environment

Yet, we DO have control over our workspace environment.

That control can help in keeping off some of the stress and maintaining good health. So here is a quiz that I use in my Stress Management Coaching.

Look carefully at the 8 questions on the slide and respond with a Yes or a No.

If you feel it is a Maybe/Sometimes, just treat it as a No. Give yourself 1 point for each Yes and 0 for each No or a feeling Maybe/Sometimes and then tally your score.

There are no right or wrong answers just facts so be honest and help yourself to you!

Workspace Stress Quiz

Workspace Stress Quiz Scoring

8 Yes – Excellent, you don’t need to read further but can help others by sharing this post

7 Yes 1 No – Well done. Check below to see what you need to do to get 8 Yes and share the post.

6 or less Yes – You need to start taking stock of your workspace. Check the tips below.

8 No – PLEASE stop in your tracks and take serious control of your workspace before your stress levels increase and health deteriorates.

6 really Simple Solutions that reduce Workspace Stress 

1. & 2. Fatigue sets in when we are in the same position throughout the day.

Alternate your tasks during the day so that your body does not get stressed out. If you have a predominantly desk job, make it a point to get up for 5 minutes every hour and get some movement into your schedule. Take a walk to the photocopier or get a glass of water.

Sounds difficult?

How about getting up from your seat and just stretching with your arms above your head? Incorporate movement into your day by alternating tasks and avoid fatigue by improving your blood circulation.

3.  Adjust your seat first thing in the morning to ensure that there is a better fit for the lower area of your back.

Even if you have to go another room for a meeting, adjust your meeting chair to feel comfortable. It will ensure that you are able to focus more on the meeting and less on your discomfort. Consider investing in a good lumbar pillow.

4.  The area under your desk is not a storage area and you need to clear out materials, bags, files and papers.

Your legs and knees too need space! Your thighs should be able to go completely under the table. Also consider lowering your chair so that your legs do not hang in air.

5. Cradling your phone/mobile between your shoulder and head will give you neck problems.

Consider putting on the speaker phone or if that is not possible a phone head set.

6. & 7.  Avoid stressing your wrist by making sure that your forearms, wrist and hand form a straight line.

If required, adjust your chair and keyboard. Excessive use of the computer with wrong positioning of your hands can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome– which is quite painful.

Increase the life of your keyboard and be kinder to your fingers and hands by typing gently.  Attacking the keyboard won’t get the work done faster, so don’t take your anger and stress out on the keyboard!

8. If you use the computer excessively for your work, make sure that you schedule an eye exam every 6 months to make sure that your power has not increased.

Remember to tell the eye professional your age and the amount of time spent in front of the computer. Both are factors in determining if you need glasses and if so, the right power. Your reading power might not increase but constant use of the computer may require correction to your lens.

Do you have any techniques of your own to handle workspace stress? 

Long term stress contributes to burnout. Game to take another assessment and find out if you’re heading for a burnout?

Update 18 July 2024 – Overcoming Corporate Burnout

Burnout is real and considered by WHO as an occupational phenomenon that can lead to serious mental and physical health concerns.

I’ve been hearing from colleagues about burnout and that inspired me to start writing about it.

The end result is Overcoming Corporate Burnout: Unlocking Vitality and Engagement for Professional Success.

As a professional who’s had to face burnout and survived, this is my endeavor to share what works.

Inside this burnout prevention and recovery book, you’ll learn:

– The key signs and symptoms of corporate burnout and how to recognize them early.
– Proven techniques to manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
– Strategies to enhance your mental and physical well-being, boosting your energy and focus.
– How to create healthy boundaries to guard your space and time and avoid being overwhelmed.
– Ways to increase your engagement and productivity, ensuring sustained professional growth.

Now it’s your turn to learn the basics to prevent burnout and start your road to recovery if you’re already experiencing burnout.

The book is available across all Amazon markets.

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

Amazon India

Written By: Vatsala Shukla