Stress is a part of daily life. It’s impossible to always feel high. With so much to do in both work and personal life, burnout is inevitable. Although what you can do is bust the stress by blending in activities that refresh your mind, body, and spirit.
Stress affects the body, mind, emotions, and behavior. Hence, the best way to reduce stress is to engage in activities that target all these areas.
Note that you could have many causes of stress. These could either be intrinsically and extrinsically motivated or even both. But regardless of where it comes from, here are 7 ways to reduce stress.
- Keep realistic expectations
Do you go too harsh on yourself? One of the most common reasons for stress is having unrealistic expectations. While these could be based on others too, the ones you have from yourself matter the most.
Say you studied for an exam. You got an A but you wanted an A+, even though you secured the first position. But just because of a surface-level expectation, you refuse to acknowledge your hard work or achievement. Note that this is just a hypothetical example, everybody’s perception is different!
- Boost your self-confidence
Is there something you’re good at? Perhaps you love to draw and paint, but don’t get the time to engage in it. Think about activities that can unleash your inner creativity.
You’ll feel your confidence-boosting when you make something that wasn’t there before. The key is to do it for yourself and not out of pressure for others’ approval.
- Observe everything around you
It doesn’t matter where you are. Slowing down always helps as you surrender your senses to the environment. Look around you and have a close look at everything.
Try to use all your senses as you scan your surroundings. Can you smell anything? Is there something close to you that’s safe for you to touch?
- Use visualization or guided imagery technique
Use the capacity of your imagination to your benefit. Picture yourself in the most soothing locations. If you love islands, why not visualize the sand touching your feet.
The best way to practice this technique is at night before sleeping. It will also help you stop any overthinking habits you might have.
- Engage in physical exercises like stretching and yoga
As said earlier, stress affects the mind, body, and spirit. So it only makes sense that you engage in physically relaxing activities too. If you’re not a workout person, you can fit simple stretching exercises into your schedule.
You can also practice yoga in the morning and evening. It’s the best way to release negative energy from your mind, body, and spirit altogether.
- Choose offline activities for socializing over online networking
Do you spend most of your time online? Undoubtedly, social media has made it easier for all of us to connect. However, it’s a less natural way to develop authentic bonding.
Pick some social activities or events happening in your area. It could be anything from a concert to a volunteering activity. Meeting people face to face and bonding over activities could be a game-changer and more relaxing.
- Stop multitasking and focus on one thing
Your brain can go into offline mode if you’re focused on too many things at once. Timeline your tasks according to priority. Always get the most important task done first, no matter how big it seems.
Break the gigantic task into small steps if it stresses you out. Keeping the bigger picture in mind will help you get through.
Conclusion
So there you go. 7 quick and easy ways for you to unwind and beat the stress once and for all. If you’re still feeling stuck, I would love to help you out. I’m Amy de Jesús and I’m here to stick with you throughout your stress-busting journey. Let’s get in touch and give you a more fulfilling life!
