Stress plagues our everyday lives. It’s sad, but true. When we’re not worried about dodging deadlines at work, weaving through strangers on hot, overcrowded subways, or precariously avoiding family drama, we’re stressed about what to wear to that party on Saturday, and how on earth we’re going to make time to get our nails done before then.
The fact is, stress is everywhere, and it permeates all aspects of our everyday living.
And if you’re anything like me, getting bad news can take the relaxation out of my sails and make something as pleasant as a stroll in the park or a day at the spa somehow “stressful.” While I’m not trying to be Polly Pessimistic, it’s something that we have to embrace and deal with. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do to help mitigate the unpleasantness and succumb to the terrors of stress (which for me, includes sleepless nights, terrible skin rashes, internal havoc, and periodic eye-twitching).
Because stress is but a mere symptom of our physiological and psychological breakdown, we can still alter the situation and manage to keep our sanity before things turn awry. When we learn to recognize and deal with burnout, we will have the power to do what we actually want and take better care of ourselves.
Being mindful of your stress, and integrating different practices into your daily routine can help minimize the likelihood that you’ll have a nervous breakdown. Here are some ways you can keep control of your stress throughout the day:
1. Pause and refresh
When you’re at work and you’re having one of those moments where you’re ready to kick over the water cooler, take a moment. And to prevent those inevitable freak-outs, try and pause for 5 or ten minutes every 2 or 3 hours. Stand up, stretch, and get fresh air. Meditate.
Also, throughout the day, try drinking an excessive amount of water and organic herbal tea. Not only is water great for flushing toxins out of your body, but it’ll force you to take more frequent bathroom breaks, which equates to more time away from your desk to help recalibrate your brain.
2. Try to take things one at a time
All day long, we’re multi-tasking to get a million things done. And sometimes, it feels like there is just not enough time in the day, week, or year. Well, that’s life. Embrace it. And instead of panicking about everything you have to accomplish this millennium, try to limit your anxiety to what you need to get done today. You have all day to worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
3. Give yourself some credit
I’m awesome. Go ahead, say it out loud. This may sound a bit narcissistic, but it’s important for us to recognize the accomplishments that we have made each day – no matter how insignificant they may seem. When we are stressed-out, everything around us seems chaotic and we get disappointed because we cannot put things in order no matter how hard we try. By giving yourself a little credit, it may give you an extra boost of optimism and that kick-in-the-ass you need to just get things done.
4. Make every day a “healthy” day
While smoking cigarettes, binge drinking, then sitting around all day eating Cheetos may sound fun, your system and your stress levels won’t agree. Going to bed by 10pm and getting regular physical exercise are basic steps of any stress reduction program because they helps calm the nervous system. Sustained exercise, like aerobic, produces more of the natural soothing hormone endorphins in the body.
Healthy balance can also be achieved by reducing our sugar intake. Too much sugar can deplete B-vitamins, which are essential for a healthy nervous system. More importantly, we have a tendency to stress out about our skin, our weight, and our overall health – so why torture yourself via self-destruction? Feeling good about our health and our bodies gives us one less thing to stress about.
5. You can cry if you really want to
Repressed feelings are often intense and destructive — like monsters that slowly eat us from the inside. We have to let go of our emotions when we feel like it. Modesty and professionalism should not stop us from expressing our feelings, but keep it balanced – nobody wants to be known as the office lunatic. Sure, crying not only helps release toxins from the body, and it is also liberating, but have some discretion. Cry under your desk or in the supply closet, and feel free to punch the paper towel dispenser in the bathroom to get some anger out. Just release your emotions before you attempt to discuss your frustrations with co-workers.
6. Laugh all day, at least at yourself
Finding humor in simple things is not synonymous with being mischievous. Instead, it means accepting the fact of life that we are imperfect and we put ourselves into awkward situations every now and then. When those awkward moments happen, try and let yourself appreciate how funny awkwardness actually is. It’s hard “not to take things so seriously,” but laughing at yourself is easier than it seems – and you can still take life seriously at the same time. There are lots of ways to have fun, and stay productive. So laugh – it’s a contagious de-stressor.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide how to deal with stress. While we can’t control every stressful situation that surrounds us, we can certainly control how we let stress control us and our emotions.
What are other ways you’ve been successful at keeping stress at bay throughout the day?
Some people say that drinking can help you forget your problems. At first, I thought it is true. But it isn’t. It will only numb you from thinking because of the alcohol and then the next day your problems are still there plus a headache. So I guess avoid alcohol when stressed and you might even think about a better solution to your problems.
Be thankful! Instead of focusing on your problems and what you do not have, count your blessings. Remind yourself how blessed you are for having a job, a home and food on your table. when you focus on good things, stress is nothing.
Agree! Be positive. Count what you have and what you can do. We should be thankful that we are even alive each day we wake up. #toGodbetheglory ???
Yes! Let us give ourselves some credits for doing good in whatever we do. Especially to moms like me, taking care of kids is not easy and definitely stressful. If your husband doesn’t compliment you then always remind yourself that you are doing great in taking care of your family. You deserve it girl! #wondermom
In today’s technology, social media can be dangerous at times but in my case, it is also my best tool for handling stress. When in doubt, I usually post something and then it is so nice to get a fresh perspective while keeping my mind preoccupied. Reaching out to the people who love and care for me is a great outlet to release stress.
Breathe in, breathe out. My colleague used to tell me this when she sees me so stresses out and I thank her for that. Taking short breaks in between a stressful work is really helpful. What I do is that I just go to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror and pat myself and say “I can do this” or “I am good at this” and then I just feel re-energized. Knowing when to take a pause is really helpful to beat stress.
I just wish that I am like any of you who can handle stress easily. I really struggle when and stress beats me down often times and I feel so sorry for myself. Even if I cry and shout it out, I don’t usually feel better after. Sometimes I just feel like giving up because of too much stress. #lifeisunfair
Oh dear, do not ever feel like giving up. Life can be unfair at times but you can do better. I am pretty sure that you can still find ways to fight stress. I will include you in my prayer.
I found meditation the best way for me to relieve my everyday stress. I feel that my body is heavier and my mind is clouded when I didn’t meditate. So, I make sure to give time to meditate before I sleep at night or as soon as I wake up.
Sometimes, thinking too much is stressful. I have this tendency to think ahead of time and I noticed it gives me more stress than usual. I used to think about the future problems I might encounter and tend to think of solutions that are not even happening. I guess, living in the present is more important and yes, there is a lot of time to think about tomorrow, tomorrow. Haha! #presentismoreimportantthanfuture
Makes perfect sense! I guess I am also like this at times. Thinking about the future is really stressful and we are not even sure if what we are thinking will ever happen. It is better to be present and slow down. Tomorrow will eventually come and no need to rush it.
It is easy to say to fight stress by doing this and that, but we do not really know what people are going thru with their lives. I guess, it is okay to give suggestions but we cannot say for sure that everyone can fight stress. #justmytwocents
Exercising can bring a lot of benefits to our body and that includes fighting with stress. As we tone our body, it also works wonders in our mind. I really think that stress is a great enemy because it can even kill people. And I hope many can learn how to deal with stress effectively in their own ways.
Just to share a story, my sister’s friend committed suicide and the poor girl was only 20. When the family read the diary, they found out that their daughter was suffering from severe depression from school and then a recent breakup. It only showed how stress can be deadly. Little problems can turn into severe stress that can lead to losing a life. We should all be aware of this. ???