We've all been there, the bills are piling up, your workload is overwhelming you, and your kids are giving you a hard time at home. Before you know it, you are stressed out of your mind and you can literally feel your blood reaching boiling point.
It's true, stress is something that we all experience, it's simply unavoidable. But that doesn't mean you need to let stress get in the way of your daily life. In fact, you have more control over stress than you think. Here's a few suggestions to help you get stress under-control so you can enjoy greater quality of life and the peace of mind you deserve.
#1 Burn Off Stress With Exercise
Studies have shown that physical activity promotes the brains feel good neurotransmitters. On top of this, exercise helps you burn off a little steam. You don't need to sign up for a gym membership or run a marathon but a few minutes of physical activity in the morning and once in the evening can really help you to unwind mentally and physically.
#2 Mindfulness Based Stress Therapy
Mindfulness Based Stress Therapy (MBST) is a stress relief system that combines mindfulness meditation and yoga. Don’t be put off if you've never meditated or practiced yoga before, you don’t need to be a Buddhist monk or Yogi to benefit from MBST. If this strategy does tickle your fancy, then you can enroll in this free
online MBST program (no catch).
#3 Do Something That Makes You Laugh
You've probably heard the saying "laughter is the medicine." Well it's true. When you laugh you release more of those feel good neurotransmitters. On top of this, it's hard to feel stressed or anxious when you are having a good old giggle. So when you feel the stress building up, do something that makes you laugh and brings a smile to your face.
#4 Declutter and Organize Your Home
There’s nothing worse than running around indoors trying to find paperwork or the remote for the television. If this sounds familiar, then maybe it’s time to have a declutter and organize your home a little better. There’s no need to go all Feng Shui but an organized home is a stress free home, and when you consider how much time you spend at home it makes sense.
#5 Spend Time Doing Stuff You Enjoy
With the hustle and bustle of daily life it’s easy to get caught up in the rat race and neglect the things we enjoy. But if you don’t make time for doing the things you love to do, then you will miss out on the finer things in life. Ask yourself “what makes me happy.” Then make a commitment to spending time doing these things.
#6 Make Meditation a Daily Ritual
Studies have shown that meditation helps to relieve stress, anxiety and other psychological disorders. I recommend a basic mindfulness meditation as you will learn to observe your thoughts without over analyzing them. Don't worry, you don't need to be a monk to get started. Just get yourself comfortable, close your eyes, breathe deeply and focus on resting in the space between your thoughts.
#7 Keep a journal and Update It Daily
Jou
als are a great way to unload your thoughts and vent your mental frustration. Jou
alling also helps you to track and pinpoint the things in your life that are causing you stress. I recommend updating and reading through your journal every night. Then each night when you close your journal tell yourself “that’s it for today, there’s no use stressing during my quality time.”
The Bottom Line
There you have it, seven practical ways to
keep stress at bay. Put these tips to use today and you’ll be one step closer to enjoying a stress free life. And remember, stressing over something doesn’t make the problem go away, it just makes it worse.