E
ric showed up grumpy again today. His son Damian must be used to this already, for he muttered a half hazard “welcome Sir” and stared back at his mobile phone. His wife Sarah wasn’t left out, either. She welcomed him, showed him his cold dinner on the dining table, and went straight to bed in a nonchalant manner. One would wonder why a person’s home could become this icy, perhaps, Eric isn’t pleasant to be around or his family has given up on his workaholic nature.
Stress might be the major culprit because it not only isolates a person from his family but has a tendency to create an irritable person who isn’t fun to be around. To be fair, we woke up one morning and voila, we’re the adults with a herculean list of bills to pay. Just like our parents. Oh, wait! Some of us have also become parents, and there are other humans dependent on us to survive. So you work, push, and strive to make life worth living, and sometimes, maybe too hard.
Why do I need to find ways to reduce stress?
We live in a time when chasing “the bag” sits unopposed on almost everyone’s to-do list, but if this chase keeps taking its toll on your relationships and health, this might be a good day to reconsider. “Oh, Vivian! You don’t get it. How do I pay my rent, school fees, and maintain a comfortable lifestyle if I lie around and do nothing?”
Firstly, reducing stress isn’t a call to join the lazy party. It’s a focus on creating your life’s rhythm, finding a balance, and making it work for you. When next you scream Y.O.L.O, remember it’s not meant to reflect only on a boozed-ish night out, but also incorporate a healthy dose of self-care because we indeed only live once.
Here are 9 ways to reduce stress this week for a more balanced lifestyle…
#1. Identify your stressors
We all have different stressors — from time-induced stress to emergencies that put us off balance. It’s important to recognize signals which your body sends when under mental or physical pressure, and create a coping mechanism around it. This is usually the case when the stressor seems inevitable — like work stress.
#2. Take a break
Anabel always prided herself in being the most hardworking employee at her company until she broke down a few months back, and was replaced at the snap of a finger. That’s because no one is indispensable. Following this truth, she chose to schedule her time properly. She stopped spilling work over into her free time, leaving her with enough time to rejuvenate. Studies have proven this approach leads to a more productive and fulfilling life. You should try it.
#3. Exercise and maintain proper nutrition
A healthy body mostly equals a healthy mind. While this might sound like a broken record, some health issues can be avoided if we take our workout and diet routines seriously. As stress increases, so do the chances of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Therefore, eating consciously and exercising are natural ways to reduce stress that actually work.
#4. Sleep
Kelly always wondered why Rebecca never missed her short naps during break time. While the others chatted away, Rebecca would eat and take a 15 minutes sleep. Another thing worth noticing was that she never missed her targets and had enough vibrancy even at the end of the day.
#5. No should mean no
Allen was such a people pleaser that he became the office doormat. All you needed were puppy eyes and a pout, and he would fall like a deck of cards to all requests. Sometimes, saying no is the appropriate answer to requests, especially when your plate is already overflowing with undone tasks. Sacrificing your inner peace on the altar of being a yes man might not only increase stress but also affect a person’s self-esteem.
#6. Laugh
Ever wondered why comedic content is the most viral content out there? Simply put, everyone loves a good laugh. I’ve seen people pay a good sum for a table at a comedy show, and why not? The world’s crazy enough, and one of the ways to reduce stress is tucked nicely in an unassuming hearty laugh.
#7. Do your hobbies
I used to sit down and reminisce about all the things I loved doing. I felt this was an essential part of being an adult—to forsake all hobbies and work, work, work. “Oh, how I miss the long beach walks, hanging out with friends, and visiting art museums.” This is a fallacious mindset and should be flung into the sea of forgetfulness. Create time to indulge in your hobbies and set up an accountability system to avoid a relapse.
#8. Manage your time
Creating a daily to-do list and sticking to it is one of the effective ways to reduce stress. This requires tremendous discipline and sometimes, an accountability system. The key is to prioritize the most important tasks, and not be tempted to indulge in trivial tasks that might randomly tug at your attention.
#9. Meditate
One of the purest ways to reduce stress is deep meditation, and that’s because its effect on the body and mind is a direct opposite of what stress offers. To top off the calming and healing effect of meditating, it also helps a person become more aware of self and perceive stress differently. It unclogs the mind and reduces negativity. It’s no news that a clear mind processes situations and information better.
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