Few things can slow down your productivity like stress. It affects everything from our physical well-being and emotional state of mind to our relationships with the people we work with and beyond. Worse of all, stress can lead to burnout and a host of health problems in the long run. While relieving the burdens of stress is often easier said than done, there are steps you can take that will have you feeling zen in no time.
READ MORE:
19 Fun And Easy Ways To De-Stress In Singapore
How To Throw A Stress-Free Brunch Party
Here’s How To Stop Anxiety And Stress From Making You Sick
Motivational speaker David Lim says that people who are feeling stressed out should conduct a wake-up test as soon as they get up. The question to ask: What’s your immediate reaction to your goals set out for the morning? “If you consistently have a sense of dread, restlessness and anxiety towards them in the morning, there’s a problem.” He adds that there are immediate solutions people can take to manage stress but people often need to get to the root of the problem to find a long-term solution.
One piece of advice David did have to share was that people under a lot of pressure should take a step back to assess the situation before reacting to anything. “A simple way to avoid stress is to not react to it. Don’t make any life altering decisions within 90 seconds of a stressful situation arising,” explains David. Instead, he recommends taking six deep breaths. It’s a great tip because The American Journal of Hypertension indicates that breath control can actually help to quell an errant stress response. Here’s a look at some other stress-relieving solutions:
Appreciate your body and your life. When you have an attitude of love for your body and life, you will treat yourself in healthy ways and your brain will start to work to relieve stress.
Our diets play a big part in reducing our stress levels. Nourish your body with vital food and take breaks from some of Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, and Chemicals, as these can undermine our body and add to stress.
Get up and move your body for 15 minutes every hour, especially when working at your computer or other electronic devices. When we are sedentary most of the day, even if we exercise, puts us at risk for obesity and cardiovascular illness.
(Read more: 8 Tricks That Will Keep You From Stress-Eating)
Any way we can add movement into our day helps relieve stress. Of course, dancing is one form of exercise that engages your whole being, body and mind. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun that you can have by yourself.
Supportive people are great stress relievers and research with experimental cold infections, people with the most frequent personal connections with five or more folks each week, did not get sick as frequently as those who were more isolated.
Meditate, take time to breathe and connect with your preferred religious or spiritual source that you embrace. We all need to know how to relax and quiet our mental activity.
(Read more: 10 Easy Ways To Manage Stress)
Be with the trees, by the water or wherever you enjoy. Take in the beauty and peace of Nature. Experience the positive ions and elevate your thoughts and awareness as a reminder of more than our negative thoughts and perceptions.
Deficiencies can stress our body and weaken immunity, as do toxins that can come from our air, food, water, cosmetics, and household cleaners and can interfere with our cell functions.
Use spices like ginger, turmeric, garlic, rosemary for flavor and immune balance, as these spices help cool down hyperactive, inflammatory responses.
(Read more: 10 Spices Every Woman Needs To Ward Off Illnesses)
Sleep is the bedrock of energy. It sounds obvious but to really beat stress, go to bed earlier, learn to say no and reserve some “me time” for yourself at the end of the day.