Reduce Stress in Your Life With These Effective Strategies
Define
your tasks better and make progress towards goals
A lot of stress is caused because our tasks seem so big and
unmanageable that we feel out of control. The more realistic, well-defined and
manageable you can make your daily tasks, the less stressful they will become.
The old adage about eating an elephant one bite at a time applies here: the
entire elephant seems too big, but one bite is manageable, and the next bite
will be too, and so on until it’s done. Even though this might be an
unappetizing example, applying the principle behind it will give you more
confidence and lower your stress levels.
Make tasks as small and manageable as possible. The easier
it is to wrap your mind around something, the less stress it will cause you. If
you have to complete a 5000-word report in the next week, give yourself 1000
words a day, or split it up into small chunks under different topics and do two
sessions a day of 500 words. The smaller and more manageable, the better.
Once you have determined the simplest, most manageable way
to get through a stressful project, give yourself a clear timeline as well.
Know exactly which day and at what time you will be completing which task. The
more specific you can be, the easier it is to check something off of your list
of things to do. Once you complete one part of the big task, that is a portion
of the stress that you are getting out of your life for good.
Don’t be overwhelmed by vague tasks or ones that seem
unmanageably big. Try and simplify your life as much as possible. You’ll find
your confidence growing with every small part of the job that you get done.
This principle could also apply to other stressful things,
like relationships. If you know that you have a lot to work on with your
relationship, try and deal with one specific thing at a time. You might decide
to work on your trust issues or your financial squabbles before focusing on
other areas. It’s not always possible to compartmentalize problems like this,
but it does help to make the issues feel less overwhelming if you look at them
one at a time.
Or, if you feel like many parts of your life are stressful
and out of control, you could prioritize a few of them and focus only on the
most pressing ones first. If you find that your debt gives you stress, you
might work out a clear automatic debt repayment strategy, pay off one credit
card at a time, and cut spending in one area of your life at a time so that
eventually you can lessen your burden.
There is no such thing as effective multitasking. The most
productive work is done when you are focused on solving one thing or doing one
task. Instead of barely managing a hundred things, be really effective at only
one thing at a time.
Delegate more and admit that you can’t do it all
Many people, especially those who carry a lot of stress in
their lives, see asking for help as a sign of weakness. In reality, it can be
an incredible form of strength in your life to admit that you’re not perfect at
everything and that you need help from others. You’re being honest and brave in
these moments by turning to others.
While you might be excellent at your job overall, there could
be one or two aspects that you really struggle with and that take up a lot of
your time unnecessarily. If you have the opportunity, hire an assistant to do
these things for you, or ask a colleague or even your superior for advice or
assistance so that you can work more efficiently. Don’t try and take on things
that you can’t do. You’ll be amazed at how much simpler and easier your life
can really become when you stop thinking that you need to do it all, and when
you hand over the job to someone who is better at it when this is appropriate.
If you’re a working parent and have to do a million things
in the day, and if you can afford it, why not get a housekeeper a few times a
week to take that burden off of you? Why not get a babysitter once a week and
go out for dinner with friends? All of these little changes can make a big
difference to your stress level. Everyone in your life will understand that you
need a bit of time for yourself and that you can’t do it all.
If you are working so much that it is affecting your sleep,
you need to do your best to carve out a regular sleeping time for yourself and
know when to stop working. Sleep is very important, and helps you to be more
productive in the long run when your body and mind are rested. If you’re a
perfectionist, you might want to spend double the time doing something to make
sure it’s just right. But, echoing the section about surrender in the previous
section, you will never really be perfect. In the interest of your health,
start accepting things when they are good enough instead of stressing over them
to be absolutely perfect. Work on things until they are ready, but don’t let
them consume you.
Taking on too much is one of the surest ways to be burned
out. Common signs of burnout are extreme exhaustion, sleeping too much,
overeating regularly, feeling resentful, anxious or depressed, painful muscle
tension and even declining health or a weaker immune system. You might start
losing interest in things that were once important to you, and you might feel
constantly overwhelmed. If you’re burning out, everything will start to suffer,
and your need to do it all will have backfired on you. You’ll be able to do
much less. Your relationships, your family, your job and other areas of your
life will suffer. You won’t be able to concentrate as much on your job, and
other mental abilities will suffer as well. Your body will feel weak and you’ll
be listless. Like millions of other people who suffer from burnout, your job
performance will decline. By this point, you need to make some drastic changes
and probably have to consult a mental health professional to help you work
through it.
You can avoid burnout now by making sure that you don’t try
to do any more in your life than you have to. Don’t take on all the
responsibility in your world, and learn to trust other people to do things as well.
Deep breaths and meditation are the most effective stress-busters
Relaxation, at least once a day, is a vital component in
making sure that you don’t carry your stress with you. When you get home from a
day at work, or if you are having a particularly stressful time, it’s natural
that the stress might continue even when you leave the stressful environment.
Try and make your home a sanctuary of relaxation by practicing some relaxation
techniques at least once a day. The long-term benefits are worth it.
You might feel silly at first doing some of these things,
but millions of people around the world have already seen the benefits of good
relaxation techniques for a few minutes each day. It helps you to unwind both
mentally and physically. It shifts your focus away from your stress in a way
that really makes you feel peaceful, not just numb. It helps you to deal with
situations in your life in a calmer and more considered way, instead of using
your stress as the compass of how to react.
The most basic of these relaxation techniques is to do
breathing exercises. All of the best relaxation methods include focusing on
your breath or breathing deeply. Meditation, yoga and other calming practices teach
that the breath is vital in calming the body from stress. Your body breathes
differently when you are relaxed, and by practicing this type of breathing even
when you might be feeling stressed, you are telling your body and mind that it
is okay to let things go and relax for a bit.
The key with breathing exercises is to focus your attention
on one thing so that the mind stops racing, and to breathe deeply into the
abdomen. These processes trigger something called the relaxation response in
the body, the exact opposite of the stress response, where your heart rate will
slow down, your blood pressure will decrease and your muscles will relax. The
relaxation response is surprisingly easy to trigger, and even just a few
minutes of breathing will give you some great results. Of course, the more time
you spend relaxing, the better it will be for your health and well being.
Try and sit comfortably, not slouching, or lie down in a
darkened room. Close your eyes and find the most comfortable position where
none of your muscles feel exerted (The muscles might still be tense, but that
doesn’t matter, as long as they’re not doing unnecessary work or feeling
uncomfortable in your resting position). You might even have a nervous
twitching of some muscles, but this is not important either. It will start to
relax as you practice the breathing technique.
Now, focus your mind fully on your breath. Imagine that the
air you are inhaling is like warm, velvety, yellow sunshine flowing inside of
you. As you breathe in, count to three very slowly. Link your breath to the
counting. These focusing techniques keep your mind occupied so that it can’t
drift to other things. Breathe all the way into your stomach, and feel it
expanding as the breath enters it. This visualization helps you to breathe as
deeply as possible. Hold it there for a second, then breathe out slowly, again
counting to three very slowly and keeping your mind on that warm breath flowing
out of you again, imagining it as smooth, heavy velvet flow. Your relaxation
response will automatically be triggered, and even after just a few focused, deep
breaths you will feel a lot more peaceful. Do this for a few minutes regularly.
Meditation and yoga are also excellent ways to do deep
breathing and to focus the mind. Yoga even incorporates stretching the body and
gives you great exercise while still triggering the relaxation response. Your
muscles and all of the tension in your body will be directly triggered when you
do yoga, and it is one of the best stress-relief practices out there. It’s very
easy to get started if you don’t know how to do yoga yet, and a quick internet
search will give you a lot of good information. Don’t be intimidated – as long
as you’re stretching and breathing, and not hurting yourself, you’re doing it
right.
You could also try repeating affirmations while you
meditate, or just throughout your day when you need them. These could be small
sayings that make you feel powerful, peaceful, rested, focused or give you
perspective. You might say, when something stressful happens: “This too shall
pass.” You might remind yourself of why you are doing something and that
momentary stress is worth it. You might remind yourself that you’re talented
and wonderful and that you have the skills to get through whatever task you are
facing. And even if you do face failure, you’ll probably survive and be able to
pick yourself up afterwards. Try and find an affirmation that works for you.
A hot bath could also be a great form of relaxation. The
heat aids circulation and soothes aching muscles. If you combine a hot bath
with meditation and breathing techniques, you are getting a lot of
stress-reduction benefits in one activity.
Get a de-stress trigger
Give yourself a trigger that it’s time to relax. Find
something that automatically makes you feel relaxed and happy, and do it right
before you start your relaxation techniques. Your mind will start to link the
trigger and the way you feel, and it will automatically start your relaxation
response.
A song is a great way to start your process of relaxing, and
whenever you hear that particular song you will automatically start to calm
down since you’ve associated it with your relaxation techniques.
I’ve found some incredible pieces of music that help me to
feel peaceful and focused immediately. You can find them on YouTube, or even
find some of your own. Try a few of these before you start your relaxation
techniques every day. For me, they’re particularly useful if I’m too anxious to
start work on a project. They calm me down enough to get some work done, and
also help when I just need to unwind:
First and foremost, if
we maintain healthy emotional boundaries and direct love and kindness inwards,
we are taking care of ourselves and secondly we are giving a subliminal message
to others about how we wish to be treated. People tend to subconsciously treat
us how we treat ourselves.
Christopher Dines
Why exercise makes the difference
Exercise, and any physical activity that gets your
heart-rate up, can be a great stress reliever. When you exercise, your body
releases neurotransmitters called endorphins, which naturally help you to feel
good. That’s why you feel so energized and have a sense of euphoria after a
good workout. The more regularly you exercise, the more of a lasting effect
these hormonal changes can have on your mood and stress level. Exercise also
helps to improve the quality of your sleep, which you know by now is great for
stress relief. Exercise focuses your mind and body and can be a great way to
work out excess energy stored up after a stressful day.
Stretching and yoga, as mentioned above, are great for
relaxation. Even if you only have time for ten minutes of stretching every day,
it’s better than nothing and can already have a big impact on your quality of
life. More vigorous exercise, even short bursts like a five-minute jog or a few
jumping jacks, can already have benefits for your health. But try and schedule
exercise at least three times a week for at least half an hour, and find ways
to be accountable so that you don’t skip it. You might find a reliable friend
or partner to exercise with, which will make it harder to take a day off
because someone else is counting on you. If you don’t know anyone who can keep
you accountable, search on fitness forums in your area for groups that exercise
together; lots of people are looking for accountability buddies.
Regular exercise and a good diet are great for your overall
health, so don’t neglect these great sources of stress relief.
Write things down
A lot of our stress comes from not having clear plans or
tasks. The best way to counter this is to write things down. Make a schedule of
everything you need to do each day and how much time you will have with which
to complete that task, and tick it off once you complete it. This will make
your day feel more manageable and less stressful overall. Also, schedule some
fun activities and relaxation. A balanced life is better for your wellbeing
than overworking, so make time for doing things that make you happy.
You might feel that you don’t have enough hours in the day, but if you write things down and only give yourself a few tasks to complete each day, it becomes a lot less stressful and a lot more productive.