A great way to relax your body/mind and take a few moments for yourself is through a head-to-toe body scan and relaxation meditation. You should work through this slowly and deliberately. This process involves focusing on each part of your body, starting from your head and working your way down to your toes, releasing any tension as you go.
Get into a comfortable position in your chair. You can remove your shoes if you wish, loosen any tight clothing. Legs uncrossed with feet flat on the floor.
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. This helps you focus on the sensations in your body instead of other things around you.
Settle into the space you are in. Feel the weight of your body being supported by your chair. Notice any sounds, sensations or smells and just let them be.
Take a few deep breaths, feeling the air enter your nose as you inhale and your belly gently rising and falling with each breath. Keep your breathing slow and controlled, 6 second inhales and exhales. Breathe from the belly, not the chest, let your abdomen expand and contract with each breath. Visualize a balloon in your abdomen that inflates and deflates with each breath.
Observe sensations in your body, acknowledge them and gently breathe through them, letting them go. If you have any uncomfortable sensations, tightness, pain, pressure, focus on it, breathe into it and visualize it leaving your body through your breath and evaporating into the air.
Start with your head and face. Soften your forehead with the eyes lightly closed. Think about the lines in your forehead smoothing out. Let your jaw relax, teeth come apart, tongue and throat are relaxed, releasing any tension in the mouth and jaw area. Your entire face is soft and relaxed. Breathe.
Now, focus on your neck by turning your head as far to the right as you can without feeling any discomfort and holding it for 3-5 seconds, then release and breathe. Repeat on the other side. Come back to center and soften.
Raise your shoulders up toward your ears, hold for 3-5 seconds, then release and take a breath. Repeat. Relax your shoulders down, releasing any tension that you feel.
Shift your attention to your chest, ribcage and upper back area. Let go of any tension that you are holding in these areas. Take 5 deep breaths and with each exhale, soften the chest and upper back.
Move your attention to your arms. Focus on your biceps, elbows and forearms. Ensure that your arms are resting softly at the sides of your torso. Direct your breath there to release any discomfort.
Now move to your hands. Wiggle your fingers and then rest your hands on your thighs, fingers are loosely spread apart. Relax and breathe.
Now focus on your belly, pelvis and lower back. We hold a lot in this area, take some deep breaths and allow your belly to soften, lower back and pelvis softening at the same time.
Moving to the hips, buttocks and thighs, allow your body to sink into the chair. Adjust your legs if your thighs are tensed, you can move your feet away from your body to release any discomfort. If you feel any distress, you can flex the muscles and release them. Take several breaths.
Next focus on the knees and the lower leg including your ankles. Make adjustments as needed so that your knees feel relaxed and your lower legs are softening. Ankles are neutral--not flexed. Adjust your legs, moving them closer or away from your body where needed so that you are relaxed.
Finally moving to your feet and toes. Notice any tingling in your toes, as well as sensing the parts of your foot that are touching the floor like your heel or the ball of your foot. Wiggle your toes and then settle them so that they are spread apart, lightly touching to floor. Think about the soles of your feet being grounded and breathe.
Relax here, focusing on your breath. Taking 6 second inhales and then 6 second exhales. Feel the weight of your body in your space, releasing tension wherever needed.
When you feel ready, start to wiggle your toes and fingers, stretch your limbs and slowly blink your eyes open.