Stress doesn't just go away, you have to be purposeful about reducing the stress in your life. Here are 5 easy ways to tackle stress before it overwhelms you.
By MMF Ambassador Sarah Kane
Do you ever have a day when nothing seems to go right? You start off by oversleeping, spill breakfast all over the floor, have to spend time cleaning up so your dog doesn’t eat it, which then makes you even later to work. As soon as you get there, your boss calls you into his/her office for an assignment that needs to be taken care of ASAP, completing derailing your already full "to-do" list for the day!
Or maybe you are a stay-at-home parent, or a work-from-home parent, and your kids aren’t listening, won’t take their naps or do their homework, AND won’t eat anything you prepare. If that wasn’t enough, you are fighting a cold and are exhausted because you aren’t sleeping well.
Does just reading these scenarios stress you out?! Now add a pandemic and social distancing guidelines on top of it. How do you cope? You could just curl up in bed and hide from the world… or you could take active measures to calm your mind and body so you are able to still enjoy the small things that brighten each day.
Here are 5 tips to help reduce your stress
Write in a journal. Write down whatever is on your mind; vent about a frustrating co-worker, or how parenthood is hard, or your to-do list. Just write until you feel better.
Meditate. This may seem like the hardest thing on a stressful day as meditation is meant to quiet your mind and you probably have a million thoughts swirling through your mind. But just start with 12 seconds. Sit or lay in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, and inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds. Did that help? Do it again!
Cook your favorite meal or do something creative. Often focusing your energy on something creative and positive will help you clear your mind and relax your muscles.
Move more! Again, even 10 minutes has been shown to reduce stress. Go for a run, do some yoga, have a dance party, lift some weights--get your endorphins flowing! Elle Woods says, "Exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy!” It doesn’t matter what it is, just start with 10 minutes a day and see how you feel.
It does not matter what you choose, what matters is that you work through your stress in a healthy way. Have a handful of things that you rotate through depending on the given situation, and work on stressing less.