Do you feel stressed? You are not alone. Most of us feel stressed at one time or another, and in this world, there are so many things that can stress us out. That being the case, it is very important to know what we can do to alleviate the mental tension we feel right now and avoid getting so stressed out in the future. In this article we will look at 6 simple habits that help us kick our stress to the curb and get back to our normal care-free self.
*Disclaimer: I am not a mental heath professional. In this post are tips that have helped me. Use them at your own discretion and see a healthcare profession if your stress is too much for you to handle. Prolonged stress can lead to serious health problems
1. Know your stressors
This may seem funny at first, I mean, of course we know what is completely stressing us out! It may be work, school, financial problems, relationship problems, illness, or something else; but how will knowing this help us? Well, the simple answer is that when we identify the stressor we may be able to avoid it completely. But if that is unrealistic, and usually it is, there are still some things that can be done. First of all, ask yourself a few questions: Is this really a big deal, or am I making it big? What do I need to do to deal with it? Is this just a small stepping stone to get to where I want to be? Can I change this stress into positive energy? These questions help me step back and see things in a different light.
2. Be balanced in your thinking
Have you ever felt like you just can stop thinking about what stresses you out? Well, I certainly have! When I concentrate my attention on that one thing, my stress can consume me… and I don’t think I’m alone. Do what you can to get that stressor off your mind. For example, that might mean avoiding social media, emails, maybe our phone in general. When was the last time you did something that you really enjoyed? I like to go for a nature walk, a drive outside the city, draw or knit. You may enjoy spending time with good friends, enjoying a well-prepared meal or listening to relaxing music. It could be that all we need is a little change of routine to refresh our mind to see things more clearly.
3. Live one day at a time
Are you worried about tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Any time in the seeable or unforeseeable future? Well, the truth is none of us know what the future will bring, so there’s really no use in stressing about it now. If we just focus on the stress of each day instead of the stresses we have right now AND the imaginary stresses we may have in the future, that’s a big difference. It’s like the difference between carrying around an itty bitty pebble and carrying an enormous boulder! Which would you prefer?
4. Remember: Nobody’s perfect
No matter what your grandmother may say, you are not perfect. Actually, nobody is. All of us have to start somewhere and we improve little by little. That’s right, no one woke up master of his craft- so set reasonable goals for yourself. I try not to expect too much of myself, or of anyone else. Maybe someone at work, at the store, in traffic, or maybe a friend did something that is just so rude- but don’t jump to stressful conclusions! Maybe that individual had something else on their mind, was having a bad day, or maybe they have a personality flaw that they are working on. Let it go. I learned that doing something nice for someone helps me to get my mind off my problems. In the end, my friend and I both feel good and less stressed.
World Health Organization: Stress
5. Set priorities
Have you ever felt like there’s so much to do and never enough time to get it done? Setting priorities will definitely help. Write down all the things you need to get done. Now that it’s written, decide what needs to be done first, what can wait, and what can be scratched off the list because it’s just not important enough to be causing you stress. Bonus: writing things down often helps us to feel more organized and more productive. Finishing off that to-do list is such a good feeling! Be careful not to procrastinate, this will just add to stress load.
6. Take care of your health
Please, get enough sleep. That means between 7 and 9 hours a night. This takes a little bit of self-control, but the benefits far outweigh sacrificing a night out, watching movies, or browsing the internet until the sun comes up. Getting enough sleep will boost your mood and help you to see things in a different light. Eat nutritious food, sometimes the easy option isn’t what our bodies needs to fight off disease and give us energy so plan what you will eat ahead of time if you can. Drink water. Get exercise each day. Exercise is said to boost your feel-good hormones, Endorphins, and reduce levels of stress hormones, like Cortisol. If you still feel overly stressed after putting these habits in practice, consult a medical professional.
Stress statistics from The American Institute of Stress:
- 39% of North American employees report their workload the main source of the work stress.
- 49% of 18 – 24 year olds who report high levels of stress felt comparing themselves to others is a stressor.
- 54% of Americans want to stay informed about the news but following the news causes them stress.
- 42% of US adults cite personal debt as a source of significant stress.
These 6 simple habits have been proven to help alleviate the stress we feel now and can help us deal with future mental tension. They have certainly helped me.
Please comment below how you control your stress
