Need A Quick Pick-Me-Up [Try This Easy 3-Step Process]

We all have those days that just seem to drag on forever. When you don’t feel like you’ll make it to bedtime with all the must-dos still left undone, a little pick-me-up can be the difference between dragging your feet and running through your to-do list. USDA Certified Organic orange essential oil can be a great tool to keep nearby for those days that just don’t seem to have an end. Try this super simple and refreshing 3-step technique to give your mind and body a boost.

1. Have a Drink

No, not that kind of drink. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, even the early stages of dehydration can leave you feeling pessimistic, fatigued, and distracted. So grab a glass of water and concentrate on the experience and sensation of drinking the water. In other words, don’t just slam it back while you go through your email, take this opportunity to recharge. Sip slowly as you notice the temperature, reflect on your day, give your brain a bit of a break, dare we say you might even want to explore the feeling of gratitude for your body and the gift of clean drinking water – we know it may feel like a foreign practice, but it’s worth trying.

Eight glasses of water might not be the answer for everyone. Try taking your weight, divide it in half and drink that many ounces a day to prevent dehydration and its exhausting side effects. Keeping a reusable glass, metal, or BPA-free plastic water bottle with you during the day will help you remember to hydrate regularly. If you’re feeling parched, you’re way past the time your body actually needed water to complete all the metabolic processes for which it is needed.

2. Decompress with Organic Orange Essential Oil

Sweet orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis) can be a powerful tool when you need a boost. Orange essential oil’s scent has been linked to feelings of happiness and relaxation. It can instantly lift your mood and is often recommended for anyone suffering from feelings of lethargy, sadness, or worry.

Orange is one of the more commonly used essential oils in aromatherapy. But you don’t need to head to a spa to benefit from it. Let its powerful aroma instantly bring pleasant thoughts into your brain in the comfort of your home or office.

To benefit from orange essential oil, choose a USDA Certified Organic option and use any of these techniques:

• add a few drops to a diffuser along with some water and let the scent fill the room;
• mix a few drops with a tablespoon of organic coconut oil, or another of your favorite carrier oils, and massage into your temples and wrists;
• if you’re pressed for time, inhale directly from the bottle. Because it is so strong, only do so for a few seconds at a time.

3. Breathe It Out

If you’re a fan of yoga, you might already be familiar with Breath of Fire, a breathing exercise essential to Kundalini Yoga. There are plenty of health benefits associated with this breathing technique, including the following:

• helps the body to detoxify and remove waste more efficiently by quickly oxygenating the blood;
• improves lung capacity and removes impurities from the respiratory system;
• increases your energy levels by generating heat, increasing oxygen, and activating energy flow in the body;
• synchronizes your biorhythms, improving your mood and health.

Breath of Fire also strengthens the nervous system, makes many yoga exercises more effective, and can improve the digestive system. Pretty impressive!

To wrap up your pick-me-up routine, spend a few minutes practicing this breathing technique.

• Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or a chair and elongate your spine. Lengthen your neck and slowly angle your chin slightly down, elongating your spine and aligning it with the back of your head.
• Close your eyes and rest your hands in any position that is comfortable.
• Relax your muscles, especially your stomach muscles.
• Begin to breathe rapidly and rhythmically, breathing in and out only through your nose, with equal emphasis on both inhalation and exhalation. Firmly draw in your belly, activating your diaphragm in order to expel air. Then allow your stomach to release, naturally allowing for the in-breath. Think of it as very fast sniffing. Your breath should be fairly shallow and executed comfortably. Just keep an even, steady pace.
• Remember to keep your chest and relaxed. Beginners should focus on practicing Breath of Fire continuously for one minute and can safely work up to three minutes. Advanced individuals can work up to eleven minutes, according to Kundalini yoga practice guidelines.

The next time that you’re feeling like you just can’t make it through the afternoon, give this pick-me-up technique a try. Grab a bottle of water and gently review and reflect upon your day. Be kind to yourself. Take out a bottle of organic orange essential oil and add it to your diffuser, apply diluted to your wrists and sternum, or sniff a few times directly from the bottle. Use the scent to calm your nerves and lift your spirit. Then finish by utilizing the Breath of Fire breathing technique to get your body in sync and increase your energy level.

The entire process can be done in less than 10 minutes and should provide you with the mental and physical strength to power on through the rest of your day. And if you want a little more inspiration, here is one of our favorite quotes about finding a balance of contemplation and exertion:

“The old dispute about the relative virtues of the active way and the contemplative way is a spurious one. We require both. They are phases of a single rhythm like the pulsing of the heart, the in-drawing and letting go of breath, the ebb and flow of the tides. So we go deep, deep inwards in meditation to consolidate our vital energy, and then, with greater love and wisdom, we come out into the family, the community, the world.”

~ Eknath Easwaran, God Makes the Rivers Flow (1982), pp. 18-19