Stress is something we all experience on a regular basis. Avoiding stress may be impossible, but the good news is that you can do certain things to alleviate it.
Practice deep breathing. When we’re stressed, our breathing is often shallow and short. Practice this deep breathing exercise for two weeks three times a day for 15 minutes to help change your breathing pattern and reduce the symptoms of stress: Put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Slowly breathe in through your nose, hold it for a couple of seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth. To insure deep breathing slowly inhale as much air as you can into your stomach.
Imagine a peaceful, relaxing place. Sometimes when we are in stressful situations, it is helpful to visualize being in a relaxing place. It helps our minds to clear, the tension to leave our bodies, and enables us to recoup our emotional and physical strength.
Manage your time effectively. When you’re not getting everything done, you’re going to feel stressed. Prioritize what you need to do. Give more time to the activities that are important and less time to those that aren’t.
Think realistically. Sometimes our negative thinking makes things seem worse than they really are. For example, let’s say your boss appears to have an angry look on his face and you conclude that he’s angry with you. The truth is he might be stressed out for reasons of his own. Look at the facts before you jump to conclusions.
Laugh. Laughing releases endorphins, which are natural substances in your body that can help reduce stress. Call a funny friend; watch a comical movie, read a book of jokes.
Let go of the things you can’t control. Many aspects of our environment are beyond our control and stressing about them wastes our time and energy. For example, you can’t change how other people drive. Remind yourself to be realistic about what you can and can’t control.
Exercise. Exercising regularly is one of the most effective ways of reducing the built up tension in your body. Some examples of exercises include bike riding, weight lifting, swimming, and jogging. To keep you motivated pick an exercise program that you enjoy and incorporate it in your daily schedule.
Maintain good eating and sleeping habits. When you don’t eat or sleep right, your body feels stressed. This is true even when you don’t have anything-stressful going on in your life. Your body will naturally feel worn out and will have a difficult time engaging in daily tasks. So eat healthy foods and get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
Create a relaxing home environment. Your home should be a place where you can refresh and rejuvenate yourself. You don’t need to remodel, just accessorize the space to create a stress-free oasis. Soothing accessories can include pictures of loved ones, fresh or scented flowers, plants, indoor water fountains, artwork, and health and beauty magazines. Have fun making your home stress free and completely relaxing!
Do something pleasant for yourself. Taking a break from our daily routine can help minimize feelings of stress. Some things you can do are get a massage, have dinner at your favorite restaurant, take a hot bath, go for a nice walk, have a picnic at the park, or curl up with a good book.
Talk to someone you trust. When you’re upset, holding your feelings inside doesn’t help your overall well-being. Instead share your feelings with someone you trust. Your problem may not be solved, but talking about your feelings will help to reduce your stress.Â
Excerpt from Life’s Little How To Book by Jaleh Donaldson, a self-help book with easy-to-understand tips,
