Ok, You’re Stressed. Here’s What To Do About It.

Stress can come in any number of ways; it could be thanks to a long day at work, lack of sleep, poor habits, or even a single moment that completely ruined your day.

Stress is a very real (and can be a very dangerous when it gets to be too much), but let’s get down to the real root of the stress shall we?

Let’s stop using the excuse of stress keep us from living our lives. Let’s turn the stress around by getting to the cause of it, so we can reduce it for the long-term.

10 Ways to De-Stress

Ready to take steps forward to become less stressed? Here’s how to deal with it in the moment.

1. Breathe

When you feel the stress coming, stop and take a few deep breaths in and out. If you can, try to find a quiet, comforting place and count to 5 (both in and out) as you breathe.

2. Exercise or stretch

Get those endorphins going, break a sweat, and you will forget all about or stress and you can get through your day. There’s plenty of research that proves the hormones released thanks to exercise will decrease stress, both mentally and physically.

3. Skip the caffeine

Many of us reach for our coffee or favorite caffeine drink in times of stress. In reality, we need to hydrate with water and, if we must, reach for a decaf option instead.

4. Count

Maybe to 10, 100, or even 1,000! Take the time to sit down and count out the numbers will help you to reassess the situation…maybe it is not as stressful as it seems. For some, this auditory or visual option works better than breathing.

5. Journal

Take some time to actually jot down your thoughts, as releasing the stress from your body and brain is half of the battle. While you’re at it, if you are up for it, create and action plan.  What’s the takeaway from what you wrote? How will you deal with this stress?

6. Meditation and yoga

Take a moment for yourself and do what feels better for you, whether it’s meditation or yoga. If nothing else, do some work to learn how to body scan, as this will take you far with dealing with any future stress that comes your way.

7. Dance and music

Put on some jams and dance away those worries! Shake it out, as Taylor Swift says!

8. Puzzles

Do a brain puzzle, physical or digital. Distract your brain with something that also encourages quick thinking, rather than allowing your brain to spiral out of control.

9. Clean

Some people are stress cleaners. Take this time for a 10-15 minute quick clean up of your area. Whether it be your desk or around the house. It is amazing how much less cluttered we feel in a fresh space.

10. Gratitude list

By listing the small or big things we are thankful for, we become more engaged with the good things in our lives, rather than the stressful things.

---

Which of these tips helps you the most with your stress?