How often have you longed for days free of stress? While this would certainly be nice, it’s also not realistic. Between your personal life, work, finances, and everything in between, it seems there’s always some way for stress to make an appearance.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t make those stressful moments a bit easier to handle. Knowing how to navigate through these times will be invaluable to your overall well-being. Here are some simple and effective ways to combat stress each day.
Minimize Distractions
Some days no matter where you look, it might seem that distractions are everywhere. Whether it’s phone or email notifications, a to-do list a mile long (and growing), or children needing your attention, there’s likely no shortage. While this can be tough at times even on a good day, these types of distractions can be almost debilitating when you’re already feeling the heat from stress.
Avoiding distractions altogether on your more stressful days probably isn’t going to happen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive and target some of them. This could look like time blocking, turning off notifications on your phone, leaving your phone in another room, or asking for a trusted family member or friend to watch the kids for a given time.
Anything you can do to regain focus will give you a sense of more control over your day, which goes a long way when it comes to stress.
Support Yourself With Food or Supplements
You probably already know that your diet has a major impact on how you feel. Everything you consume should be considered a determining factor when it comes to general well-being and your stress levels.
One of the most common reasons to supplement is for the reduction and management of stress. If you’ve ever shopped around, you know that there are thousands of options available. Not only can it be confusing to know where to even begin, but it can also be dangerous to take just anything. Learning all you can about different supplements for stress will help you make the best decisions.
When it comes to food, knowledge is power. For example, when you’re feeling stressed out or anxious, it’s extremely common to reach for processed foods full of refined sugars. Alternatively, choose foods rich in vitamin B and magnesium to nourish and sustain your body while calming your mind.
Break a Sweat
If you’ve ever experienced your body going into fight or flight mode, you know it can be a scary or uncomfortable time. With all of that adrenaline pumping through your system, you not only have your stress and anxiety to manage, but an uncomfortable feeling of restlessness as well.
The best thing you can do when you find yourself in this mode is to get moving. Go for a run or a walk. Do 100 jumping jacks in your living room or see how many push-ups you can do. Getting your body moving will help to quiet the adrenaline rush and bring your mind and body back to a calmer state.
Set Boundaries
A major source of stress for many people can be traced back to setting and sticking to boundaries. Oftentimes it can be uncomfortable to be firm, but it’s also an essential part of stress management and, ideally, avoiding certain stressors altogether.
If you’re someone who feels intimidated by setting boundaries, try thinking of doing so as an essential form of self-care. Imagine how much easier life could be if you no longer feel resentful or worn out — two red flags that you should make this a priority.
What’s important to remember about boundaries is that you’ll build confidence in yours over time. Keep at it.
Since stress is going to be a part of life no matter what, the best thing you can do for yourself is to find the best ways to meet it head-on. Devoting the time to notice how you respond to various stress management techniques is essential. Even though it might feel like a big undertaking, rest assured it will be more than worth it for your well-being.