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Stress is a part of life, but it can be difficult to manage. As the pressure from everything mounts, we often feel like there’s no end in sight. There are healthy ways you can cope with stress and avoid burnout. Here are 7 tips to help you get through your day-to-day stresses:
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. While it’s one of the last things you want to do while stressed out, it can help in a big way! Exercise has been proven scientifically as one of the easiest ways to release feelings of anger or anxiety by releasing endorphins through physical activity. These endorphins help you feel happier and more productive throughout your day.
Additionally, exercise strengthens the immune system and improves cognitive functioning so it’s an excellent method for reducing stress levels naturally. If you’re working on changing how you currently handle stressful situations in life, try adding some form of physical activity into your daily routine. It will help release tension from the body while giving you plenty of time to examine what might be causing all that anxiety.
Whether it’s going on a walk, putting on music and dancing around, or playing with your dog, it can all be a helpful way to deal with stress. Exercising daily for 30 minutes or more can increase the activity of your brain, making it easier to process stressful events that happen. There’s no need for huge exercises like running miles or lifting heavy weights unless that’s what you want to do. Simple things to get your brain and body moving can make you feel better.
Meditation
Meditation is an easy way to reduce stress. It enhances self-awareness and can also lengthen your attention span. Meditation is very calming and one of the best ways to reduce stress. If you meditate for even just 10 minutes a day, it can help you control your stress levels naturally.
Although the advice “take a deep breath” may seem useless and cliche, it can work. Taking a few moments by yourself, closing your eyes, and taking deep breaths in a pattern can help you calm yourself down.
Self-Care
Self-care is another effective way to not only reduce stress but also make you feel happier with yourself. Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do. Making time for yourself is very important when it comes to mental health.
Creating time to pick up new hobbies for yourself, going on dates with yourself, or taking a much-needed vacation alone can help you clear your thoughts. Do something to enjoy yourself. Cutting out stress triggers in your life can help improve all areas of your life, including work and relationships. Put effort into putting yourself first.
Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can play a big part in your stress levels. When you’re stressed it can cause you to lose sleep. The cycle of not sleeping, being tired, and not being able to sleep will only make your stress levels worse.
Getting 8 or more hours of sleep can improve brain function, which can help you better process and manage your stress. Before you sleep, be sure to dim your lights and turn off your television, phone, and/or laptop. Give yourself time to relax before you fall asleep.
Connect with others
Sometimes you need to get out of your head and spend time outside of your environment. Taking time to connect to others is another healthy way to cope with stress. Spending quality time with your friends is an easy way to distract yourself from negative and stressful thoughts.
You don’t necessarily have to talk about how you’re feeling or what you’re going through. Sometimes you just need to have normal conversations with your friends as a simple distraction from your stress. Going shopping with friends, joining a club, even staying in with friends, and just hanging out will help lower your stress levels.
Manage your time
Managing your time can also be a helpful factor in lowering your stress levels. Creating a schedule to manage your day helps keep your thoughts organized. Don’t forget to make time for fun and relaxation, too!
Set aside times of the day where you can take breaks from your work or school. Do something every day to make your day enjoyable. Don’t overcommit yourself to tasks you don’t enjoy, and always try to break big projects into smaller steps.
Creating a schedule that shows you what to do and when to do it will help you visualize your time better, therefore making it settle in your brain easier. Keeping your day organized will help your stress levels stay low.
Reach out for support
Sometimes the most you can do to help yourself is reach out for support. You can reach out to a counselor or therapist and talk about your stress levels and how you have tried to manage them.
You can also reach out to a family member or friend, or anyone that you can confide in. Talking about how you feel and trying to find out why you’re stressed can help you discover how exactly you can lower your stress levels.
Whether you’re ranting to a friend or a professional therapist, pay attention to how you describe your stress. Reaching out for support is never something to be embarrassed by. Sometimes you need the input of others to understand what’s going on in your head.
We have all felt it, that feeling of being overwhelmed. The stress can be related to work, school, family life, and more. You may go through a cycle of emotions such as anger, guilt, or sadness. These emotions are not always healthy for you and your loved ones, so it is important to find coping mechanisms that work best for you! Leave a comment below letting me know what’s worked for you when it comes to healthy ways to cope with stress in your life.
