6 Stress-Busting Tips
There is an old Buddhist saying that goes “Everyone should meditate for 10 minutes a day. Unless you don’t have time, in which case you should do 20.”
It’s so true that the people who need self-care and stress reduction the most are the people who feel like they don’t have time to do the things that could truly make a difference! Stress is an all too common companion in our lives and can feel like an unsolvable puzzles. We hear a lot about the importance of adequate sleep, healthy food, and exercise as it relates to stress. And as important as those pillars of health are in stress reduction, they can sometimes feel overwhelming to tackle.
Don’t worry! I have rounded up some tiny additions or changes that you can make to your already busy life to pack a big stress-reducing punch! For more information on how stress impacts the body, check out my blog post Is Stress Such a Bad Thing?
Top 6 Stress-busting Tips
Take at least 10 minutes of “chill” in the morning with no technology
Have your coffee on the porch, go on a walk around the block, do a face mask before your shower, meditate, stretch, or do a 10 minute yoga video. Snoozing until the last minute or jumping out of bed straight into emails sets up your entire day to feel like you are one step behind. You truly do have time to do everything you need to do. Things will find a way of getting done. Give yourself permission to take the first minutes of your day to starting yourself off grounded, in control, and calm.
Use your car as a buffer to destress
Make your car a safe haven of relaxation. Since many of us use our car to transport us to and from potentially stressful situations (work, errands, etc), this can be very effective for entering a situation with the right mindset.
Keep your car clean, especially the interior.
Keep your favorite music on hand. Some days may call for your most zen soundtrack, others will warrant that one song that you can belt out at the top of your lungs on repeat.
Use your commute to call your favorite people. Reach out to your best friend, your mom, your partner, or your grandma. This is precious time that is sometimes wasted tuning out to radio talk shows. Instead use it to cultivate connections! (over bluetooth, of course…)
Buy a car essential oil diffuser. They are relatively inexpensive, fit in your cup holder, and make you feel like you were transported to a day spa. Here is the one I’m currently using. They also make some that clip onto your vent, so find one that works for you!
BREATHE
Our breath is the anchor to our very life force, and there is incredible power in returning focus to it. Unfortunately, our breath is often the first thing to be sacrificed in times of stress. Dr. Andrew Weil teaches something called the 4-7-8 breathing technique, which is simple and effective at reducing anxiety and calming intense emotions. Inhale silently through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale with a “whoosh” sound for 8 counts. Doing just 4 rounds of this breath can alter our body’s physiology and return us to a state of balance and calm.
Use social media intentionally
The average American spends about 100 minutes a day on social media (Statista, 2019), which doesn’t even account for productive time lost from task-switching, multi-tasking, or procrastinating. We often feel that there isn’t enough time in the day, and yet over an hour and a half is spent scrolling in circles on social media. Social media can be an incredible connective tool that enriches lives, but only when used in a healthful way.
Set time limits. If you want to scroll for 15 minutes on your lunch break, set a timer and stick to it. Your time is valuable, don’t allow it to accidentally slip away from you.
Let transitional moments be still. Instead of whipping out your phone the moment you are stuck in a line or sitting on a toilet (come on, we all do it), allow the moment just to be still. Observe what is happening around you. Connect with a person in real life. Notice and smile at the little kid behind you in line. Turn up your favorite song on the radio. Think about what you want to eat for dinner. Practice your slow breathing. Filling every transitional moment in our day with technology and stimulation can make us feel like we have been going non-stop, when in fact we just chose to fill the stillness with social media.
Rolling over from bed right into social media is not an ideal way to start your day. Start by checking into yourself, not into others.
Cleanse your social media. If your social media isn’t an inspiring and connective place to go, you need to re-evaluate who you are following and why. We should never feel insecure or like we aren’t doing enough when looking through social media. It is easy to fall into a comparison trap, but ultimately you are in control of what fills your feed and of how you react to it. Be unapologetic about keeping your feed free of negativity, conflict, or other stressful triggers (talking about that ex-boyfriend you still follow just because…)
Take a walk
There have been many studies done on the positive effects that nature has on chronic stress levels. Couple that with the stress-reducing power of exercise and we have ourselves a double-whammy! In order to get the most anti-stress power for your time, leave technology at home or put on a motivational podcast (for my favorites, check out my blog post here).
Don’t create extra stress where there doesn’t have to be any
Try to be aware of when your stress starts and ask yourself- “What does my stress improve or add to this situation? What is my stress accomplishing right now?” (spoiler alert: the answer is usually nothing) If the answer is nothing, then allow the situation to happen without adding your stress to it. Surrender to the flow of the situation. Surrender to the pile of dishes (it’s just gonna get done eventually). Surrender to the traffic jam (literally nothing you can do about it). Now, some life situations are indeed beyond this mindset shift, but our stress response often doesn’t differentiate between the legitimate stressful situation (such as the loss of a job) and a coffee machine that breaks 5 minutes before you have to leave the house. This takes a LOT of practice, but when we are more present and aware we can be more in control of our response.
How do you reduce your stress? Have any of these tips worked for you? Comment below!