Simply put, stress is a negative reaction to change, demand, fear, or worry. It is a fight-or-flight response to situations that aren’t immediately controlled. And, if not recognized and properly managed, stress can lead to long-term mental and physical turmoil. So, April happens to be Stress Awareness Month, which aims to serve as a reminder to pause and assess your well-being so that you can live a stress-free life. To help you out, we have compiled a list of twelve practical ways to help you manage stress
12 Practical Ways to Manage Stress
- Just Get Rid of It: Recognize your stressors and plan out actionable ways to get rid of them, then, put your plan to action. For example, if you are stressing about finances, then find a job that pays a livable wage, or if you are stressing about your spouse, either seek therapy or kick him/her to the curb. It really is that simple, just recognize, plan and do!
- Perform continuous relationship detox: pay attention to the circle you keep and mindfully detox yourself from anyone that doesn’t positively serve your mental wellbeing. Also, try to reduce mindless social media scrolling; all the fake-flexing from online friends can seriously fog the mind.
- Meditate and pray: Meditating and praying can help shoo away stress by planting seeds of positivity and calm, reducing cortisol and lowering heart rate, all while relaxing the body.
- Find your village: Surround yourself with friends, family, support groups, and therapists who genuinely care about your mental health.
- Set boundaries: Remind yourself that it is okay to say no and set limits.
- Prioritize tasks: delegate and prioritize tasks to manage workload and focus on one thing at a time.
- Take a deep breath: Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress by lessening tension, improving heart rate variability, and also by calming the brain.
- Move your body: Continuously working out can help improve your mood and increase endorphins while also lowering adrenaline, boosting self-confidence, and improving sleep. Types of exercise can include walking, yoga, swimming, dancing, cardio, and strength training.
- Get creative: being creative can serve as a cheerful distraction that can boost your self-confidence and release good-mood endorphins. Ways to get creative can include journaling, knitting, painting, and jewelry making.
- Eat Something Healthy: Eating healthy can help reduce stress by stabilizing blood sugar, supporting immune function, repairing cell damage, lowering cortisol, and also by reducing inflammation.
- Laugh it off: laughter can help reduce stress by increasing oxygen intake, strengthening the immune system and releasing good mood endorphins.
- Count your blessings: Make it a habit of counting your blessings instead of harping on your misfortunes. When you focus on the good, you shrink the bad, then the bad loses the hold it has on your mind which helps you manage your stress.
At the end of the day, stress is just a state of mind that can influence negative reactions, change your state of mind, and make stress so small that it becomes powerless. But remember, we make no claims that any of the above suggestions will serve as cures; please seek the advice of your doctor with your symptoms and additional questions.
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