Stress can sneak up on you, building and building until your shoulders are rock-hard from tension and your head is pounding. At that moment, you may stop and stretch your neck. Take a few deep breaths then jump back into whatever you were doing.
There, you think, I’m handling my stress.
Nice try.
Unwinding from all the pressures on you takes more than a few seconds at one point in the day. Your body deserves a longer break to recuperate. If you treat it with care, it will reward you with more resilience and fewer sniffles during cold season.
To cope better, there are things you can do in the moment when stress blindsides you. You can also develop daily habits and long-term strategies to turn you into a more functional, healthy, and happy person – no matter what your day throws at you.
Instant Stress Relievers
When you walk in the door at the end of a long day, you want a fresh start in the comfort of your home. However, it can be tricky to just shrug off several hours of demands from the outside world. Where do you begin?
Change Gears
Rather than rushing to the fridge and starting dinner, give yourself a moment to make the transition. Change into casual clothes. Take the dog outside and throw a ball for a few minutes. Some people power down by going to the gym on the way home. Create a routine that marks the end of one life and entry into another one where you can just be you.
Hug a Loved One
After being apart all day, embrace your child, partner, dog, or even a stuffed bear, if that’s what you have handy. Feeling a soft cuddle can ground you, especially if the recipient is a human or a beloved pet. After all, this is atypical of what you can do at work or school, so it also tells your brain you are in a safe space.
Hugging releases oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, which makes you feel good and reduces your blood pressure. The reassurance that your loved ones are home and safe is also comforting, so enjoy the moment.
Breathe In Relaxation
Just the scent of spices in your dinner may make you feel more relaxed. Add to that by keeping a vial of peppermint or lavender within reach so you can sniff it and activate different parts of your brain.
Pick an aroma that works for you, whether it’s sandalwood or rose oil. You can light a candle, put on some lotion, or put a few drops of oil in a diffuser. Whatever helps you wind down matters.
Doodle
There’s a reason why people draw shapes and characters when trapped in a long meeting or a dull class. They have discovered that tapping into your creativity can soothe you. After dinner, find a way to create some artwork, whether it’s drawing or using another talent.
Adult coloring books became popular a few years ago due to their meditative effects. You may find more joy in woodworking, embroidery, or home decorating. Working with color will automatically brighten your day.
Short-Term Stress-Relievers
You have a few minutes before an appointment and you know that checking messages on your smartphone could just make you frantic. Instead, try these techniques:
Take an Imaginary Vacation
Think about a place you’ve always wanted to visit and spend some time there – in your head. Listen to the waves lapping on the shore or the breeze in the trees. Feel the sunshine on your skin. Hear the laughter of children or the delight of birdsong. Picture a server bringing you a tropical drink.
Guided imagery takes you to your “happy place” whether you do it alone or with a soundtrack to lead the way. This short escape will do wonders for your mindset.
Meditate
Take things a little further with a tour inside yourself to focus on how you feel in the present. Begin reciting a mantra over and over as your breath slows. Pay attention to what your senses are picking up, without being distracted by them.
Check in with your muscles and become more aware of which ones are tense, then let them go. Begin at the top or bottom of your body and work your way through it, lingering on each area for several seconds.
Forget about the past and the future. Live in the now.
Breathe Deeply
When we get wound up, we hold our breath or don’t use it effectively. Once you realize this, you can treat yourself to deep breathing sessions, whether you’re in a full room or on your own. It will clear out the tension and open your mind as more oxygen flows to your brain and other organs.
Walk It Off
Get away from the source of your stress and swing your arms and legs to energize them. You can head outside and enjoy the view as you go as far as suits you. Or you can head to another part of the office and go through the halls of other departments. Talk to people you meet and look for things you haven’t noticed before. Consider it a mini holiday.
Problem-Solvers to Lower Your Stress
While you push back against the stress of the day, doesn’t it make more sense to change things so you don’t face the same pressure-cooker again? Here are some ways to do just that.
Rewrite Your To-Do List
Jot down everything you expect to get done today, then become more realistic. What can you truly do in the number of hours to have, while doing it well? Take out a highlighter and pick two or three things. Once they are done, you can pick another item or two from the list.
Over time, you may find that certain tasks don’t get done and they don’t really matter anymore. If you keep procrastinating on others, then you need to delegate them or ask if they are a priority.
Take a look at the extra things you take on and decide if they bring you joy or not. You can give up weekly dates with your gossipy, immature friend or resign as a soccer coach if you dread going. Now you have more time in your schedule to relax.
Lean on Good Friends
While you ditch your nasty friend, make plans with that new acquaintance or neighbor who just moved in. Find people with common interests and treasure every moment. Join clubs or teams that motivate you. Laugh and live more richly in their company.
Assess What Makes You Stress
If you feel you need to watch the news, but it makes you anxious, tune it out. If you are being pressured into doing four times as much Christmas baking as you want to, say you’re scaling back this year. Just because it was a habit or a ‘tradition’ doesn’t mean you have to do it for life.
Just like weeding out your friends, only invest time in things that enrich you. Period.
Long-Term Stress-Relievers
You may not feel the effects of these good choices right away, but they will bolster you and make you a healthier person. That, in turn, will help you cope with the tough days with more energy and resolve.
Eat a Diet That Makes You Proud
Fuel your cells with whole grains, lean proteins, a variety of vegetables, and lots of water. Stay away from foods rich in salt or sugar, which make your blood pressure and blood sugar levels spike. Enjoy crunchy nuts, flavorful raspberries, and fleshy avocado as you savor every bite you eat.
Make Time for Fun and Exercise
Fill your weekends with little adventures, whether it’s hiking, making art, or setting up a blanket fort in your living room. Acting like a kid makes you feel more alive as you use more of your senses and your skills.
Be Kind to Yourself
It’s easy to beat yourself up when you make an error or say the wrong thing when under pressure. However, wallowing in self-doubt and mentally lashing yourself does no one any good. If you mess up, apologize to others, but don’t overlook the value of forgiving yourself.
Negative thoughts add weight to your day and you don’t need that self-imposed emotional baggage. The same goes for any discomfort you have about your body image.
Focus instead of your good attributes. You’re strong. You work hard and most of the time, you get things right. Show compassion for yourself, just as you would for a friend or co-workers who makes a bad decision from time to time. No one needs a critic with them 24 hours a day.
Move Your Muscles
Speaking of strength, build yours with yoga and other forms of exercise. The movement and timing of the breathing will inject you with more oxygen to clear your thoughts. You won’t become fit with just one session so stick with a routine to keep you fit. Disappearing into the mantra of counting reps or the number of seconds in a pose is calming in itself.
Say ‘Thank You’
Develop the habit of expressing appreciation for people around you who make your day better. Now only does it brighten their days, it reminds you how fortunate you are to have good things and people in your life. At the end of the day, reflect on the blessings you have encountered. Some days, the kindness may be hard to find, but look for it amidst all the flak. This will remind you of the supports you have around you to lean on when you need them. And that should allow you a big exhale of stress relief as well.
Reference: https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-to-reduce-stress-3145195
