Tips for Managing Stress
5 tips for managing stress on this crazy ride we call life!
My life has been quite the stress ball lately. Between planning and preparing for a wedding to moving my husband into our home, life has been nothing short of hectic. Besides that, there are many stressors in everyone’s life that cause us to go a little haywire every once in a while. Here are my five top tips for keeping your cool in the midst of this crazy thing we call life.
Breathe
When things seem to be overwhelming, take time to slow down and catch your breath. Do some deep breathing exercises to calm your nerves and free your brain.
Let’s do one together! I like to fill a “balloon” with air to help me concentrate on my deep breathing. Start by holding your hands in front of your stomach like you are holding a small balloon. Then slowly breathe in deeply, focusing on filling your small balloon with air to make it bigger, expanding your hands outward. Next, slowly release the air out of your balloon and breathe out. Repeat this several times or until you feel more calm.
Take a Break
Separate yourself from the stressful activity and take a break. Go for a walk or have a healthy snack. Do something that will give you time to decompress and allow you to refocus on your task at hand. Sometimes you need to refresh and allow yourself time to reorganize your thoughts to finish the task at hand.
Exercise
This one might not be something you want to do but exercise can help you relieve stress. I am not one that likes to exercise but even I can tell that I feel better once I release some pent up stress after a brisk walk with my beloved Cockapoo, Captain Rhett Butler. Find a form of exercise you like to do and do it. Even if you only do it for 10 minutes, I promise you will feel better.
Ask for Help
Sometimes we add extra stress to ourselves because we think that if we don’t do it, it won’t get done. I know when decorating for my wedding I had that mind set for a couple of days and that it simply wasn’t true. We are all blessed and surrounded by people who are willing to help us, we only need to ask. If there is something you are doing for work, your church, or even for yourself, I am sure there is a friend, family member, or neighbor that would be willing to help. The worst they can do is say no.
Go to Sleep
If your tasks can be completed the next day, go to sleep. Don’t over exhaust yourself trying to finish something you can finish tomorrow. The task might be completed faster after you have had a full night’s sleep and you can focus better because you are not tired. Never underestimate the power of a good nap and a snack. It might be just what you need to give you the energy needed to do what you need to do.
These are just five things that can help you to de-stress and I may not have even mentioned your favorite. If you have one that you would like to share, email me at tcaston@uada.edu. I would love to hear from you.
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