Strategies to Help You Manage Stress

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Are you facing lots of personal challenges at work or home?  Chances are that you are experiencing stress.  Stress is defined by Oxford Language as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.”  Some stress is positive.  For example, we’re excited about tackling a new project or learning a new skill.  We feel motivated, our self-esteem increases, and we “exercise” our brains with new ideas.  On the flip side, stress can be like a weed.   It starts out small and before you know it, it’s grown so big that it takes over your life. 

April is stress awareness month, a time to raise awareness of stress’s negative impact on both our mental and physical wellbeing.  Fittingly, this year’s theme is Community.  We could all use Community after the past few years of isolation caused by the pandemic.  One positive aspect that’s come out of the pandemic is that there is more openness about our struggles with managing stress.  Today it’s far more common to hear people publicly speak up about how stress has impacted them, and what they’re doing about it.  Stress is more than a feeling.  We respond in unique physical and emotional ways to it.  However, there are some basic actions we can take to help manage stress.  Weed it out so that we thrive again.

What can you do to help yourself, family members, or a friend during times of personal and/or work stress?

Disconnect from Tech

Stop scrolling or watching TV 60-90 minutes before bed.  Use this time instead to unwind from the day with a relaxing soak in the tub, take the dog for a walk, listen to a body scan like this one here or practice a stretching routine.

Breathe Well

Breathe.  Check-in during the day with yourself.  Are you taking short, quick breaths?  Or deep restorative breaths?  If you’re not sure, discover more in my blog "Breathe Your Way to a Renewed You."  You'll learn how the way you breathe impacts your energy level, sense of calm, and sleep. 

Move

Whatever your level of fitness or regardless of whether you can’t stand the thought of working out, get in 30 minutes of movement 5-7 days a week.  Try to get in a walk during your lunch break, spend the afternoon puttering around your garden, or take an (online) pilates/stretching/fitness class that suits your schedule.  Walk or bike to the store instead of driving the car. 

Head Outside

Nothing nurtures the soul better than getting outside and letting Mother Nature do its thing.  A growing body of research finds that spending time outside reduces anxiety and depression, and generally leaves us feeling happier.  In the UK doctors are testing “green prescriptions”, believing that gardening or a walk in the park is a powerful tool to improve one’s emotional and physical well-being.  Get outside regularly—in the local park, your garden, or a regional park. 

Establish a Sleep Routine

Replace one of your usual coffee servings with herbal tea, low-sodium broth, or water infused with mint or lemon slices.  Don’t drink caffeine after 3 pm as it may interfere with your sleep, leaving you feeling irritable the next day.  Watch this Idea Pin here for quick, easy tips for setting yourself up for a good night’s sleep 

Connection

Connect with your friends and family during a walk in the neighborhood or during a weekend brunch.  Sharing a laugh supports your wellbeing by releasing the hormone oxytocin, or what often is called our happy hormones.  Consider sharing with them what might be challenging for you these days, and ask for support, if needed.  Get involved with your local church or local organizations with whom you share a common interest.     

Above all, the next time you become irritated and critical of yourself, you can try being kinder to yourself.  As Kristin Neff writes in her book “Self-Compassion”, one study showed that those practicing self-compassion instead of self-criticism lowered their levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.   

We can all use a little more calm in our lives, couldn’t we?