3 Quick Tips to help deal with Stress
How do you react when your plans fall through? Do you roll with the punches? Or does anxiety keep you from enjoying life? Here are 3 things to help keep your stress under control:
1. Get sufficient sleep.
We’ve all heard this advice far too many times. And although it is one of the most common advice given in relation to stress management and general mental and physical wellbeing, most of us are guilty of not following through on this.
It’s very common in our society to exist on less than 6 hours of sleep a night. But experts recommend 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Seems like an easy enough thing to do, but for a variety of reason – majority of us will choose to not do this.
Sleeping is not just to rest our bodies, but it also serves the purpose of rejuvenating our minds. Sleeping is the time for both our minds and bodies to rest and heal.
2. Go off the Grid.
The convenience that cell phones have added to our lives can actually be a double-edged sword. We depend on them so much it seems we can’t live without them. Our minds are constantly filled with news, social media, emails, etc. that it is nearly impossible for us to settle ourselves down to relax.
Going off the grid here has two folds. First of all – practice reclaiming just 30 minutes, if you can, each day to commit to “turning it off” (it here referring to your electronic devices be it your smartphone, smart-watch, tablet, or notebook). Just 30 minutes (more if you are brave enough) where you commit to spending that time on yourself or something other than the world of the internet or social media.
Second would be to turn off these same electronic devices at least 30 minutes before you retire for the day. Free yourself from the oh-so-ever-important Breaking News from Facebook or other social media. Instead take that time to unwind (with no electronic stimulant). Give your brain (mind) a little gradually easing down time as you prepare yourself for a restful night of peace and rest.
3. Take a break.
It doesn’t have to be a fancy vacation or a holiday trip. Especially during this time of the pandemic where most of us are restricted from travelling freely (or have enough sense and self discipline to refrain from doing so even if the law allows for it). resort.
Just taking a break – a day, half a day, just an hour – would be great help to helping us manage our day to day stressors. Just a moment to free ourselves from thinking about work, about bills, and any thing else that brings about tension.
Use that time to do something you find pleasurable – something that gives you pleasure and that you know is beneficial to you. It’s important to take time for yourself, because you are important. Give yourself permission to be kind to yourself. Think of it this way: If you want to give happiness/peace/goodness to other, you fist must have that yourself. You cannot give what you do not have.
All the above – I am sure – are stuff you’ve heard before. The question is, have you actually used these tips. Or are you like the majority – listen/read and then return to the way you have been doing things. If you want to start managing your stress better, then perhaps it’s time to start doing some or all of these simple tips.
It may seem tough initially. But that’s only because we may not be accustomed to doing it. I assure you, you can do it. Just begin by taking one step – one step at a time. Take action NOW. Take one step at a time. Before you know it, it will be like second nature to you. The best time to take action is, or course, NOW.
For more information or other tips on managing anxiety and stress, or want to find out more about how you can help yourself, do contact us at:
