Stress is a big part of our life and can come in many different forms like a hugely demanding job, an argument with your partner or a chronic health issue. But it’s important to remember that any kind of stress – even stress from a positive experience like planning your birthday party – can lead to detrimental physical as well as emotional consequences on your health.
While some stress can be positive at times and produces a boost of energy and drive to get things done, extreme amounts of stress can negatively impact our cardiovascular, immune, neuroendocrine and central nervous system and takes a big emotional toll on us.
But if we find positive, healthy ways to successfully manage stress, we can avoid all those negative consequences and ease the physical and emotional burden that stress can place on us. Of course, everybody is different and so is their choice of how to manage stress, but there are certain techniques that help everybody and that have been proven to help reduce stress.
Here are our TOP 10 tips on how to successfully manage stress.
#1 Get Physical
Working out on a regular basis is one of the best ways to relax our body and mind, boost our mood and melt away stress. You may wonder why exercise is so powerful in relieving stress. Well, every stressful situation increases the level of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline in our body, which are the fight-or-flight hormones that are hard-wired into our brain. However, in our modern world, we rarely have to resort to an actual fight or flight response, so getting physical and moving our body can be the surrogate to metabolize these excessive stress hormones and get our body and mind back into a more relaxed and calmer state.
#2 Get Perspective
When we have to deal with a problem like getting an unexpected medical bill, not getting the promotion we wanted or a big fight with our partner, feeling stressed out is a natural reaction. But rather than giving in to the downward spiral of negativity, take a step back and ask yourself whether this issue will still be important next week, a year from now or 5 years from now. If the answer is no, take a deep breath and move forward. Keeping things in perspective is crucial when it comes to managing stress, so instead of just reacting to certain situations, give yourself the time to get perspective.
#3 Try Relaxation Techniques
There are a plethora of tried and tested stress reduction techniques, so try a few and see what works best for you and then incorporate them into your daily life. Whether it’s staring a meditation practice, simply focusing on your breath, self-hypnosis, working with mantras, visualization, journaling or any other practice, take some time every single day to help you relax. And don’t worry, it’s completely normal that it is challenging to relax at first. But keep in mind, relaxation is like any other skill that needs to be learned and will improve with practice, so don’t give up after the first try and keep at it.
#4 Talk it Out
Simply talking to a trusted person about how you feel can be hugely helpful in managing stress successfully. Stress usually clouds our judgment and prevents us from seeing things clearing. Talking it out with a friend, family member, co-worker or even a trained professional can help put things in perspective and find a solution to your stressor. It can also be a great way to release some of that built-up tension by talking it out and with that letting it go.
#5 Get More Sleep
Lack of sleep is a significant contributor to stress and on the other hand, stress also interrupts our sleep with thoughts ruminating in our head that prevent us from relaxing enough to be able to fall asleep. Instead of resorting to medication, optimize your evening routine and make sure that your bedroom is a tranquil oasis. Avoid caffeine and excessive alcohol at night. Shut down all electronics at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Try a hot bubble bath. Read a relaxing, undemanding book. Listen to soothing music. It is also hugely helpful to have a regular bedtime, because our body and mind gets used to the predictable time which helps us to wind down.
#6 Manage Your Time
Our to-do list can be a common source of stress. Accept that you can’t do everything at once and prioritize your tasks. Make a list of all the things that you need to do and then place them in the order of priority. There are things that are hugely important and need to be done immediately and there will be things on your list that can easily be done next week or next month. Also, identify the things that you need to do personally and delegate everything else. Editing your to-do list can melt away stress quickly and you won’t feel overwhelmed and overburdened anymore. And make sure that you break down huge projects into smaller, more manageable tasks and leave enough buffer time on your schedule to be able to deal with unexpected or emergency tasks.
#7 Say ’No’ More Often
A huge stressor is that we have too much to do and too little time to do it. Learning to say ’no’ to additional responsibilities that are not important and unnecessary will dramatically reduce your stress level and at the same time help you to develop more self-confidence. A lot of people find it hard to say no out of fear of rejection, fear of conflict or fear of missing out on an opportunity. But it’s important to remember that these barriers are all self-created. Instead of feeling reluctant to say ’no’, make yourself your top priority and figure out what’s best for you. And then politely and graciously say ‘no’ to what you can’t or don’t want to do.
#8 Eat Well
A well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet will help us to feel better in general, but it’s also important to remember that food controls our moods. Make it a point to eat more wholesome foods like fruits and veggies, pack on lean protein for energy and make sure to include healthy fats in your diet. Don’t skip meals, which can put you in a lousy mood and also increases your stress level. Instead, have a healthy meal plan that keeps you satisfied, energized and fulfilled so you can take on whatever life throws at you.
#9 Smile and Laugh
Our emotions and facial expressions are interconnected with our brains. When we are stressed out, you will likely see that stress on your face. So to counteract the stress make it a point to smile and laugh more often. It will release some of that built-up tension and makes every situation a whole lot better. Give it a try. Next time you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders and you are completely stressed out, take a moment to laugh out loud and feel the stress melt away like magic.
#10 Turn Down the Noise
We live in an extremely noisy world. Our email inbox fills up constantly, we get tons of alerts on our phone, text messages and breaking news. And with all that noise coming at us with high speed, it’s no wonder that we get completely stressed out. Now, we are not saying to throw your phone away, but take regular breaks from your electronics and manage your notification settings, so you won’t get stressed by every buzz or ping your phone does.
Everyone feels stress from time to time, it’s impossible to avoid it completely. But it is also absolutely possible to manage stress and keep it under control if you learn to keep your challenges in perspective, set realistic expectations and make sure to take relaxing breaks from the daily demands that life puts on you.
STRESS IS OPTIONAL. CHOOSE TO RELAX AND ENJOY LIFE.
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked
Pingback: Nudie News