Managing your work, personal life and social commitments can get hectic. Stretched over a while, this can lead to stress and sometimes, anxiety as well. Here are a few things that you can do on your own to feel relief when you’re stressed.
1. Get more physical activity
If you’re feeling stressed, moving your body regularly may help you feel better. Regular exercising has also been shown to improve symptoms of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. A 6-week study in 185 university students found that participating in aerobic exercises twice a week can significantly reduce overall perceived stress. If you’re currently not active, starting with activities that you enjoy may help your chances of sticking to it in the long run.
2. Self-care
Self-care is an important aspect of your life because you need time for yourself. You need to indulge in things that make you smile, and make you happy. These may include things that you enjoy doing like if you’re a writer, you may enjoy writing for yourself. If you’re a sportsperson you may enjoy playing a sport just for yourself and not preparing for a competition. You may just want to indulge yourself in something that you enjoy but it has to be beneficial to you.
Watch your favourite movie, go for a swim, book yourself a spa therapy. Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It means simply tending to your wellbeing and happiness and improved quality of life. Lack of self-care is associated with a higher risk of stress and burnout. Taking time out for yourself is essential to living a healthy life. This is even more important for people who tend to be highly stressed, like doctors, teachers, nurses, and caretakers.
3. Practice deep breathing
Deep breathing is a great way to reduce the activation of your sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s response to a perceived threat. Take deep breaths to the count of five or start counting backward from 10-1. This will help reduce the repercussions of being stressed and anxious. You can also try the 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique. This includes:
a. Acknowledge 5 things you see around you
b. Acknowledge 4 things to touch around you
c. Acknowledge 3 things that you can hear
d. Acknowledge 2 things you can smell
e. Acknowledge 1 thing that you can taste
This grounding technique will help you distract your mind and relax yourself. Try these exercises to feel better.
4. Connect with others
Human beings are social animals. You need to have connections with people to feel supported. Finding a sense of community, whether at work or through shared activities, such as organized sports, is very important for your wellbeing. This allows you to foster relationships that can be supportive in difficult times. Make sure you are surrounded by people you love and who are there for you in times of need.
5. Time for a digital detox
Minimize your phone and screen time as much as you can. Even though smartphones, computers have become an unavoidable part of our daily life for many people. Several studies have shown that excessive smartphone use has led to increased stress levels. Screen time is also associated with lower psychological well-being. Moreover, screen time may negatively affect your sleep which may also lead to increased stress levels. One needs to realize that work is not your life. It is only a part of your life. The more you indulge in self-care, the happier you’ll find yourself.
Don’t just take out time for yourself, take out a significant amount of time for you to be happy. If you cannot be available for yourself, how are you going to turn up for your partner or even at work? Make yourself the priority. Believe in yourself and make things work.
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