There comes a time, that everyone becomes stressed. Whether it be due to workloads, relationships or just life in general, it can all effect us in different ways.
Stress. We like to moan about it, sometimes even brag about how stressed we have become over pretty little, mundane tasks or huge events happening in our lives. It wasn’t until I was at uni, that I myself established that I was shite at handling it. And me being so terrible at it led to a negative aroma effecting everyone else around me. Heck, I was a ball of nervous and stress before a hospital appointment yesterday.
And where does it leave me, when I rub off on others around me? Feeling more bloody stressed! And pretty terrible at bringing friends, family and colleagues down to my sorry level.
Bottling, bursting or worse yet, ignoring stress is no good. Dealing with stress levels in a way that is comfortable to you, is! So here are some easy stress busters, you can do from home and work. Of course, these won’t help everyone, but they are a good place to start when looking to kick that stress!
Breathe, one, two, three.
It sounds silly, but when you’re ready to burst ( or become spicy Charlotte as I like to call it ), the best step is to take a step back and breathe. When under pressure and stress, it’s really easy to blow, rant and often, say things we don’t mean. Walking away from the situation and giving yourself time to breathe and assess can hugely drop stress and anxiety levels.
If at work : Go and make a cuppa. Remove yourself from the situation ( your desk, the task that has you stressed ), and catch a minute or two. Having that quick five to assess the situation logically can make it clearer when returning back to it.
Release it
It’s really easy, after a hard stressful day at work, to hit the couch with a bottle of wine and some nibbles to ‘un-wind‘. Truth be told, binge eating and becoming a couch potato can do more damage to mental health, and stress levels. Releasing pent up energy and negative emotions is best achieved through exercise.
It need be excessive, and you really don’t need to become a gym junkie, but making an effort several times a week to get out and about will help reduce stress levels significantly overall.
Why not try – Swimming ( I head out twice a week ), Yoga ( You can do it in your own home, or find a local class ) , Zumba ( super energetic ) or even cycling ( you can do it with friends ).
If at work : Head out for a breezy walk on your break. Just a short walk away from the office can help ease the stress and give you time to calm down and responsibly assess the situation.
Feed it
It’s a little known fact that eating well can help ease stress and get you feeling overall healthier inside and out. Handling your general health is a long term way to tackle stress and general well being. Sticking to healthier options and ensuring there’s plenty of fruit and veg in your diet is a great place to start.
Find something for yourself
When it does to come to unwind, make sure you have something for yourself that will divert your attention from your stress troubles. Whether you listen to a calming playlist, a podcast, watch your fav film or tv programme or even running yourself a bubble bath paired with a nice book. Whilst it’s not the only thing to be done when looking to de-stress, it is a great short term relief when things get tough.
You may even consider penciling some ‘me time‘ into your weekly routine.
If at work : Consider grabbing some headphones and taking some time over your lunchtime. You could pack a lunchtime read to immerse yourself into after your sandwiches too!
Read : Travelling Light: How To Pack Efficiently & Reduce Travel Stress!
In summary….
Ditch the shite. Filling your body with smoke, alcohol and fatty, sugary foods isn’t going to release the stress. And if it does, it surely is a short term effect. Creating a positive attitude in the way you fuel your body, and work it when things get heated will make you feel better in yourself as well as mentally. What you put into your body is what you will get out.
Remember to breathe and assess. It’s simple. When in the moment and thinking with the fury, stress and anxiety in your gut, we get blurry vision when looking at situations logically.
Give yourself something. Whilst its not the cure for stress, having some time for yourself with your fav book, film or tv show is a great short term gain in aiding / reducing stress.
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