It’s a rainy, sleepy afternoon, and you’re stuck in front of your computer.  Your bones are weary, your eyes blurred, and your mind feels burned out.  You can grab another cup of coffee, but you know your body really doesn’t need any more caffeine.   What to do?  If you knew that in three minutes of effort you could go from burned out to blissed out, would it be worth your while?  If the answer is yes, then the “Three Minute Body Miracle” (or T.M.B.M for short) is for you.  This simple, but amazingly effective four-step technique does several things in a short period of time.  First, it gets your body naturally energized.  Second, it stimulates blood flow to the brain for better focus and concentration.  And finally, it allows you to quickly let go of stress and tension in both your body and mind.  If you try it just a couple of times, I think you’ll be hooked.

1-Since most people work at jobs in which they sit for large periods of time (as I do), step one is to stand up and shake your body.  Our bodies were not meant to sit for long periods of time.  It makes our joints hurt, and our muscles tighten. By shaking your shoulders, arms, legs, and hips for a mere one minute, you can stimulate energy and blood flow throughout your body. During your minute of shaking, make sure you vigorously move both your arms, shoulders, and legs.  Pretend you’re a rag doll, and you’re able to shake the tension right out. You may feel embarrassed shaking your body vigorously for a full minute.  If you are afraid of other people seeing you, close your office door, or go to the bathroom.  Children move and shake all the time because it’s a natural desire of our bodies to do so. Yet, as adults, we have become accustomed to being sedentary.
Unfortunately, not moving leads to feeling even more tired, which leads to even more lack of movement. Breaking out of this cycle is easier than you think.  The main obstacles are laziness and fear of embarrassment.  Since this entire process takes only three minutes (and only one minute of shaking), there’s no good excuse for not doing it.

2-The second step is to imagine you’re on a trampoline, and “bounce” up and down on your toes for thirty seconds.  By doing this, you help to counteract the force of gravity that can make you feel tired and help stimulate your lymph glands and immune system.  It’s like giving your body an internal massage. The third step is to energetically massage your ears, face, and scalp for another thirty seconds or so.  Your ears, face, and scalp are loaded with acupressure points that help to relax, energize, and balance your entire body.

3-Once you are done massaging your head, the last step is to take a very deep breath, tighten your shoulders by bringing them to your ears, and hold your breath for ten seconds.  When you let go of your breath, exhale with a loud sighing sound as you feel the release of your shoulders.  Focus for a moment on the feeling of warmth in your shoulders and face.  Finally, think of something or someone you feel grateful for.  It could be your pet, your child, your health, your house, virtually anything.  Feel a sense of gratitude in your heart for having this person, animal, or thing in your life. For a few moments, imagine you can breathe through your heart and have your gratitude expand with each and every breath.  When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes and notice how relaxed and energized you feel.

Many people do the Three Minute Body Miracle as a substitute for a coffee break, a bite to eat, or a cigarette.  By substituting this method for something unhealthy, such as a candy bar, you can help yourself to lose weight and become energized at the same time.  Another advantage of this method is that it helps to make you more focused and alert.  I’ve noticed that by doing this when I first feel tired in the afternoon, I can continue to be productive, rather than half-asleep. I literally gain an extra hour each day of alert, productive time by practicing this technique twice a day. I recommend you try it now, while the method is still fresh in your head.  Don’t do it half way. Instead, do it with exaggerated passion and energy. If you can, you can make it even more fun by listening to a favorite rock n’ roll song while you do it.  You’ll be surprised at how much better you can feel in three minutes.  And your body will thank you.