We all face stress in our daily lives and it's a natural part of living. However, when stress becomes overwhelming it can lead to serious health problems. Cutting out stress is one of the best ways to preserve our emotional and physical health and it can be done by following seven simple steps. Meet Challenges Head On One major source of stress is worry. Putting off dealing with a problem or challenge leads to increased worry and is often worse than just dealing the issue immediately. For example, if you're worried about not being able to pay your credit card bill this month call the credit card company and explain the situation. Instead of spending time worrying and agonizing over the possible reaction, you might find that they are surprisingly willing to work with you. Most problems are not nearly as bad as we make them out to be and when you take a proactive approach to dealing with them you will find that you have a sense of accomplishment instead of a sense of dread. Get Moving You've heard it a million times, but it really is true that exercise can help reduce stress levels. Exercise causes our bodies to release endorphins which are nature's mood boosters. This doesn't mean you have to run a marathon to feel better. Any little bit of added activity helps. You can do something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work or taking a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood. Decompress Allow yourself alone time each day to unwind and relax. You need time to decompress after a hectic day and you deserve that time. No matter how crazy things get, allow yourself as little as ten minutes just for you. Take this time to do nothing other than let go of the tension you've been carrying around all day. Soak in a bubble bath, practice deep breathing, do some simple yoga exercises or anything else that helps you unburden yourself. Unplug Each day we are barraged with communication. Phone calls, emails, TV and other forms of constant communication have made life easier, but have also made life more hectic and stressful. Take some time each day to simply unplug and remove yourself from these constant distractions. This can either be during your decompression time or, preferably, at another point during the day. You'll find that even a few minutes without something ringing, beeping or otherwise calling out for your attention will do you a world of good. Entertain Yourself Whether it's reading a book or listening to music, find an activity that you enjoy and work it into your daily schedule. If you don't have time to sit and read that entire novel you've been dying to finish, you can at least allow yourself to indulge in finishing a chapter. Quiet activities that we enjoy help us get our mind off whatever is stressing us out and allow us an escape from daily pressures. Socialize Spend time with friends and family with whom you feel comfortable. The familiarity and comfort offered by loved ones can be a great stress reliever. If you're schedule is too busy to spend as much time with friends and family as you'd like, look into making some changes. It is vital to your emotional health to have time to interact with people you care about. Perhaps you are too busy to spend the entire day shopping with your sister, but you could meet her for lunch. Identify the Sources If you're feeling stressed out, take a moment to think about why. If it's something you can control such as being overwhelmed by too many volunteer activities, do something about it. Cut back on the amount of time or the number of different organizations for which you volunteer. If it's something that is out of your control, admit that to yourself and stop feeling as if you should be able to do something about it. Instead of beating your head against a brick wall trying to change things you can't change, spend time focusing on accepting things the way they are and simply coping with them better. By following these seven simple steps to stress relief, you will find that, even though your life isn't entirely stress free, you will feel much better and more capable of dealing with the day to day demands of your life. Other simple things you can do to help are making sure you get enough sleep each night and eat a healthy, balanced diet. If you try all these things and you still find that you can't deal with the pressure you are under, consider talking to your doctor or other health care professional who may be able to provide you with additional methods of coping with stress. |