Start by taking a long breath in through the nose and hold it for four seconds. Then hold your breath for a count of four seconds followed by slowly breathing out through your mouth – again for a count of four. Wait for four seconds before repeating the whole process for five times. This should help relax both your mind and body.

A few relaxation techniques are mindfulness, meditation yoga or tai chi, listening to music, taking a walk or playing with a pet.

Meditation is great to do when you feel stress building because it lowers your heart rate and slows down your breathing. This helps you to relax and destress. To meditate, sit on a chair in a comfortable position with your back straight. Relax your shoulders.

Close your eyes and focus on the darkness behind them as well as the feeling of air moving in and out of your nose or mouth. If it helps, you can also focus on counting each breath. Start over again at one when you reach ten so all of those outside distractions don't interrupt what you're trying to do. When thoughts come into your head, gently push them away by continuing to count. If they become too heavy for this exercise just open your eyes and stare at something in front of you for a couple seconds before closing them again as you refocus yourself inwardly.

Dogs offer the most benefits to their owners when it comes to stress relief because they emit oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) and make people feel relaxed and safe.

This relaxation technique can be very effective. Start with the top of your head and work your way down feeling each muscle relax as it becomes looser. Picture any tension or stress draining out through the soles of your feet, for example, with each breath that you take.

This is actually quite important when you're overwhelmed with the speed of life. See anything new? Spot an animal on your commute to work? This may not be possible all the time, but if it's an option for you, then stop for a moment to appreciate what's going on around you. I often sit and look at nature. Be aware of the flowers - concentrate on the petals, smell the scent of them. Or even just a blade of grass.