7 SIMPLE STRESS RELIEVING STEPS
by: Remie Longbrake | published: December 19, 2022
Many of us have had firsthand experience with how stress affects our sleep, our digestion, and our immune system’s ability to fight off illness. But those short-term effects may be the least of our concerns.
In 2017, a literature review in the EXCLI Journal of Medicine found stress to be the origin of many diseases and a strong influence in many disorders, particularly when the stress was severe and prolonged.
What is stress really? Is it the outside pressure that is exerted upon us by life and circumstances? Or is it our perception of these events?
Further research is needed in this area, but a 2010 study in the journal, Child Psychiatry & Human Development, found that various psychological factors may mediate the relationship between stress and health. For example, having a strong internal locus of control in the midst of pressure seems to protect us against some of the biological effects of stress on our bodies.
In other words, simply believing that there is something you can do in the face of stress is a powerful buffer against the negative effects of strain and pressure.
Below are a few steps that can help manage stress and prevent burnout.
1. Start the day right
Making real progress on an important project or anxiety-producing task is one of my favorite ways to start the morning. My personal rule is that I don’t do anything else, such as read, check the phone, answer emails, etc, until I’ve spent at least ten uninterrupted minutes on meditation. I also start with the most priority-focused work in the beginning of my workday. This is so I don’t unnecessarily stress about the task or meeting, however it helps me get a good win right of the bat.
2. Have good things to look forward to
Although I’m an advocate of doing hard things and push us out of the comfort zone, I recognize that we aren’t robots. Having innocent pleasures that you anticipate throughout the day or week can be a real source of comfort and motivation in busy seasons of life. Even something as simple as a hot shower, a favorite snack, or a good TV show can be a satisfying reward after a long day. Even better are richer experiences such as connection with a friend, laughing out loud, or having spontaneous fun.
3. Leave margin between tasks
On its own, being busy doesn’t make me stressed, but when one activity runs right into the next, I being to feel like I can’t catch my breath. This sensation of being caught in a constant whirl of activity is one to guard against. For me, laving even 10 to 15 minutes of calm between activities can be the difference between a full day and one that feels out of control
4. Don’t spread yourself too thin
One mistake I have made is trying to squeeze too many small tasks into one day. This ends up making me feel like I’m a servant to my task list and barely making process in any one area, just jumping from one task to the next.
Instead, what I try to do is dedicate certain days of the week to certain types of work. Sunday afternoon is for cleaning. Another evening for blogging, and another for catching up with friends. I don’t have to open each activities every day and I can trust that I’ll have time to work on each thing when its day arrives.
5. Focus on today
When we’re living in the present moment, engaged with the work in front of us, we rarely experience stress. It’s only when we start living in the future, thinking about everything that needs to get done today or this week, that we begin to feel the constricting pressure of stress closing in on us.
One of my most helpful stress management rituals is to mentally wipe the slate clean, every time I start a new task. Once I’ve decided to do something, I try not to think about everything else until I am done. Not only does this relieve stress, but it will also help you to make the most of the time you do have.
6. Notice your breath
Like many I have a tendency for the breathing to become rapid and shallow when I’m in a rush and working diligently. When I catch myself and finally take in a long, slow breath of air, I realize how little my lungs were expending and how it was reinforcing a stressed feeling throughout my body.
Research published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2017 supports the idea by showing that the patterns of our breathing correlate with varying levels of cortisol levels in the body. You might try using an app on your phone to remind you to breathe slowly at different points in your day.
7. Exercise, eat well and get sleep
If you’re going to ask more of yourself physically and mentally, don’t also try to cut corners on your personal care routines. You should be leaning on them even harder. Unfortunately, it’s during the busy seasons of life that we’re most likely to let these practices slip into the background. If your busy period is only a few days, sure, you can gain some extra productivity at the margins by pushing through, but this isn’t a recipe for sustained effort.
In closing
The important takeaway is to find what works for you personally, whatever helps you to maintain a tranquil but motivated mindset for the day. With effective breathing a prioritizing your day better you too can reduce stress and live at your best.