When you allow stress to affect your life, you simply aren’t your best self. Prolonged stress can lead to a myriad of health problems, weakened relationships, poor performance at work and a host of other issues. Because of this, it’s critical to have a consistent plan you can trust to help you through times of high stress. Here are four simple methods you can start using today to reduce stress.
1) Take 10
As many times as you’re able to each day, set aside 10 minutes during which you do nothing except sit quietly. During this time you can meditate, simply close your eyes or take a short nap. Enjoy these moments when there’s no pressure to do anything at all. It’s like pushing a reset button for your day. When you get in the habit of getting away from everything in this manner, even for such a short amount of time, you’ll notice a reduction in stress both immediately and in the long term.
2) Express Yourself Artistically
There’s a reason psychiatrists are constantly recommending artistic expression to their clients suffering from stress. Expressing yourself through art is a proven way to help your mind escape the many pressures of your life, at least for a while. In addition to being a healthy and fun distraction, by doing art often, whether it be writing, painting, or playing a musical instrument, you’ll also build skills to make you feel confident and accomplished.
3) Take a Walk
In the same way taking a 10-minute break to simply relax allows you to reset your mind, walking also provides the perfect way to re-focus and prepare for whatever you have coming up next in your day. Walking regularly also improves your physical well-being by helping you maintain a healthy weight, boosting energy levels and reducing the risk of heart disease and many other serious medical conditions.
4) Find Healthy, Fast Snack Options
Most people don’t realize how much their dietary habits contribute to their stress. Preparing a meal takes time, and a perceived lack of time is one of the leading causes of stress. Keeping healthy snacks readily available allows you to not only eat better by avoiding fast food and junk food, but also save a lot of time on meal preparation.
These are just a few of the many ways to successfully manage your stress. Establishing healthy and convenient eating habits, going for regular walks, enjoying periods of rest during the day and expressing yourself artistically will go a long way toward reducing stress and improving your life.
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