De-Stress at Work with a Little Office Yoga

While summer doesn’t officially start for another week or so, between the longer days, warm weather, and schools letting out, it’s sure felt like summer for a bit now! And while we can’t give you the summer break your kids are getting, we can give you the tools for a much-needed mini-work break to destress and realign yourself to be ready and alert for the rest of your day.

Stress is no joke: it negatively affects your body, mood, and behavior, which, in turn, can seriously affect your work and productivity. So what’s something you can do to de-stress? Office yoga! Yoga has been shown to help reduce stress in those who practice it. And now we’ve got a little yoga sequence you can do at your desk so you can get right back to helping your clients with their taxes and feel more at ease.

1. First, assume the position by sitting straight in your chair, feet flat on the ground, hands on your thighs. Start to pay more attention to your breath and how your body feels now.
2. Inhale your arms up and over, bringing your hands together above your head. Use your back muscles to keep your chest and upper body lifted. Breathe here for five seconds.
3. Keeping your arms raised, loop your left hand around your right wrist and lean to your left for a side stretch. Gaze up if you can and hold this for five breaths before repeating on the other side.
4. Arms still over your head, place each palm on the opposite elbow and imagine you’re pulling your arms apart, but keep them held together. Hold this pose for five breaths.
5. Next, extend both arms out in front of you and cross your left arm over your right. Bend your elbows 90° and try to touch your palms together. Lift your arms up to rest your chin on your left arm and hold for 3-5 breaths. Cross your arms the other way and repeat.
6. Next, stand for a forward fold (if you need to stop to explain to your coworkers what you’re doing here, feel free and maybe even invite them to join!). While standing, inhale to straighten your spine then, as you exhale, hinge at the hips and slowly fold downwards. Let your arms hang or grab opposite elbows for a frame like we did before. If you need, keep your knees bent here, and stay like this for 3-5 breaths.
7. Release your arms if you need, then slowly roll up to standing. Keep your chin at your chest and place your left, then right hand on top of your heart. Breathe here for a few moments, listening to your heart and body.
8. Now sit back down, making sure to keep your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your thighs and as you inhale, round your back and tuck your chin to your chest. On each exhale, lift your face, bring your shoulders back, and lift your chest. Do this for 3-5 rounds of breath.
9. Next, place your right hand in front of you on your desk or chair and twist to place your left hand behind you. Keep your spine tall and breathe here for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
10. Now take one last big stretch - however feels best in your body - and smile! Because now you’re ready to take on the rest of your day with a little (or a lot) less stress!

We know filing tax returns can be stressful. That’s why we’re here with the best de-stress tips and the best e-filing software around to help you get your 1099, W-2, ACA, and 941 filing done as quickly and easily as possible! Just stay tuned with ExpressIRSForms and feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your e-filing!

Read More »

#WellnessWednesday: Stress and Your Heart

For the shortest month of the year, February sure has a lot going on: Black History Month, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Lunar New Year, Mardis Gras, Galentine’s Day, National Pizza, Margarita, and Banana Bread Days, etc., etc. Needless to say, there’s a lot of love and a fair amount of celebrating to go around this month.

And while I’ll be the first to dive into a pile of pancakes on Fat Tuesday every year, there’s something a little more serious going on in February that we need to talk about. February is National Heart Month, an effort started by the CDC to help Americans become more aware of their heart health.

It could go without saying that a healthy heart is crucial to your overall well-being. And while high, chronic stress levels haven’t been directly linked to heart disease or heart attacks, you can think of it as the first rest stop on a long road trip. It might seem unnecessary to stop and recoup so close to the start of your journey, but down the road, you might run across something that makes you wish you’d stopped.

High blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, is a natural part of the “flight or fight” response our bodies have to stressful situations. Having chronic stress can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, over time damaging your artery walls. The exact cause of high blood pressure is unknown, but stress-induced behaviors like binge-eating unhealthy foods, avoiding exercise, and drinking a lot of alcohol are considered contributing factors.

So while you’re thinking of all your other loved ones this month, don’t forget to take care of yourself too. Here are a few ways to keep stress in check this tax season and beyond:

• Talk to your doctor about what a healthy blood pressure is for you, and keep track of it on a regular basis.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce the sodium in your diet.
• Chill out. When you’re angry, your body releases stress hormones into the bloodstream.
• Meditate. One of the most important parts of meditation is focusing on your breath, which helps to calm the entire body. 
• Use mantras: similar to meditation, mantras can help calm your mind and bring your stress levels down. One of the most effective ones for me (especially in traffic) is, “Nothing others do is because of you.”
• Exercise. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least 5 days a week to help keep your heart healthy and stress levels low.
• Make time for you. Whether it’s a bubble bath, reading a book, doing yoga, or listening to music, be sure to make time each day (even just 10 or 15 minutes) to unwind and focus inward.

And a bonus tip for managing your stress:

• Use ExpressIRSForms to complete your 1099s, W-2s, ACA Forms, and W-9s. Information reporting becomes virtually stress-free when you use our easy-to-navigate program, complete with error checks, bulk uploading, and a customer support team who’s always willing to help. Give us a call Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., at (704) 839-2270 or send us an email anytime at support@expressirsforms.com.

Read More »