So work is ‘kicking off’, you have overdue deadlines, you’re trying to plan a holiday, juggle a family, your personal life…needless to say life can be overwhelming.
When stress gets on top of us it eats away at our health and wellbeing, so it is important to manage stress before it manages you. The last thing you want to hear is how to organize your time better, so here are a handful of other ways to keep a clear mind.
The simplest step is often the most overlooked: take a few deep, slow, cleansing breaths. Hyperventilation is common amongst people that have high stress levels and it is one of the physical symptoms of high anxiety. If you can’t seem to reduce the stress in your life, it pays huge dividends to learn some breathing techniques. We talk about things being as ‘natural as breathing’ – but relaxed breathing is often the first thing that we ‘forget’ when stressed. There are plenty of specialists who deal specifically with breathing, as well as numerous books and online resources that can teach you to breathe properly.
Exercise will increase your endorphins, so naturally the more you get your blood pumping the more positive your outlook on the challenges that lie ahead will be. Exercise also cultivates self-esteem. People with higher levels of self-esteem are also better able to cope with stress. If nothing else, exercise is can be a useful ‘relief valve’ for anger and hostility, emotions that are often related to stress. So when you feel the heat, put your sneakers on and run it out, hit a boxing bag or even just take a brisk walk around the block.
Yoga and meditation are justifiably popular ways for people to relieve stress. Yoga rejuvenates the body and mind, and provides a natural balance to stress by strengthening the relaxation response in your body to stressors in your daily life. Meditation is about learning to be mindful of the current moment and not ‘over thinking’ what has happened in the past. It is about focusing on the future and minimizing negative emotions. From experience, I know that both yoga and meditation are extremely effective and have had positive influences on the quality and productiveness of my daily activities.
I find that if my day starts to crash down on me, music is my saviour. Listening to music instantly calms me. Whether it’s relaxing or something you can sing to, listen to something inspiring, motivational and thought provoking. It will change your outlook on the day that is ahead of you and surface some inner confidence. I swear half the songs I Iisten to are written about me: they ‘get it’….
Which brings me to another tonic: laughter. Not only can laughter reduce stress hormones, it is a great physical release (an alternative to getting mad at those around you), it helps to change our perspective from seeing a ‘threat’ to a ‘challenge’, and lastly, it connects you with others, a little reminder that you are not alone in this world. So step away from the fuss and catch up with a friend, watch a comedy show, or do something that makes you happy.
Aromatherapy is another simple and time ad cost effective way to reduce stress. It is as simple as using the body’s sense of smell and some beautiful essential oils to boost your mood, relieve stress, energize and encourage better health. Different oils are better at targeting different stress related problems. Try lavender, geranium and chamomile to reduce anxiety, and for tiredness, try peppermint, rosemary or jasmine.
So before you pack it all in and run, realize that stress is manageable. If you can’t avoid the stressors in your life then protect your health and wellbeing by adopting a couple of the above.