Stress is an integral part of everyone’s life, and it may be helpful to a certain extent because it mobilizes your internal resources and motivation to accomplish your daily tasks. However, too much stress can be overwhelming, can create panic and dramatically reduce your productivity and mental well-being. Here are three simple stress relieving tips that can help you achieve self-control, reduce anxiety associated with a busy day and make you more calm and focused.
Reserve Some Time To Return To Your Comfort Zone
Even though you may have a pressing schedule and a large list of things that need to be done in one day, don’t hesitate to include some time for yourself into your daily routine. Mental health expert Kathleen Mills describes stress relief as “being very creative while maintaining a very simplistic approach to incorporate some simple things in your daily list of tasks that you can do to pamper yourself because you have a full schedule.” Your to-do list should include activities that are designed to offer comfort and relaxation to your mind, and you should treat them just like any other tasks on your list. Activities that allow you to return to your comfort zone might include a 10-minute walk in the middle of a busy day, having a cup of your favorite tea, listening to relaxing music, making a few phone calls to old friends or family, or any other activity that you genuinely enjoy doing. Be creative and identify ways to return to your comfort zone in the middle of a busy, stressful day and do not skip those activities, just as you wouldn’t skip a high-priority task.
Control Thoughts About Perfectionism
It’s okay to be a superman or a superwoman and try to accomplish everything in one day. At the end of the day, you will certainly feel satisfaction that will naturally relieve your stress. However, what if you get stuck and you feel overwhelmed in the middle of the day? Panic certainly does not help get things done, so you may want to reformulate your mindset to control thoughts of “doing everything perfect.” Allow yourself to think that perfectionism is more like a desirable target rather than a daily need. It is okay to be less than perfect from time to time and to finish some tasks at a later date if you feel that they interfere with your mental well-being.
Control The Obsessive-Compulsive Technology-Related Habits
With all the modern technological advancements, you may feel that you have the world at your fingertips through the smartphone or tablet that you carry with you at all times. Many individuals “relax” and relieve stress by checking Facebook, watching a video on YouTube, sending messages or commenting on blogs, among numerous other Internet and technology related activities. Checking email and playing with a phone are also common “crimes” individuals do when trying to relax. These obsessive-compulsive tendencies rarely relieve stress. Looking at your laptop, tablet or phone screen causes eye strain, makes your brain come up with new things to do and creates a self-reinforcing cycle of expectation, anticipation and stress. When you relax, try to remove yourself from any technology devices and avoid the impulse to stay on the Internet. Instead, engage in some old-fashioned activities that offer peace of mind and don’t provoke expectation and stress-inducing thoughts.
Implementing these three simple tips should result in a significant reduction of your daily stress levels. Also, don’t forget about nourishing your body and mind through healthy nutrition and regular exercise to improve your mental well-being even more.
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