Stress comes at us from all angles – work, school, family, and even our daily commute. Fortunately, the advice found in this selection of handpicked tips and tricks can be used to constructively assess and respond to the most common sources of stress. Keep calm, carry on, and remember these tips in your time of need.
Try reading a book to relieve some of your pent up stress. Losing yourself in another world, perhaps one of fantasy or sci-fi or a romance, can be a great way for your mind to go on autopilot for a bit. You’ll be able to focus on the world inside the book, rather than whatever is stressing you out.
Make sure you’re not taking too much on. If you’re feeling stressed, particularly at work, it could be because you’re trying to take on too much work at once. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re not able to handle your work load, let your boss know. Often, your boss will be more than happy to help you out or help you to find someone who can.
A great way to reduce stress is not to sweat the small stuff. You have probably heard that before many times, because it is true. People with high stress levels tend to get upset about trivial things more often than people with low stress levels. Sometimes it is best to step away from a situation and think about whether it is worth getting upset over.
Smile your way to being stress free. Smiling shows that your are happy. But did you know that smiling can also make you feel happy and relaxed. When you smile you transmit nerve impulses from your face muscle to the center of the brain that tells you that you are calm. If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed take a minute to smile.
Sometimes when we are feeling stressed, it is easy to dwell on our situation. But, if you will stop and ask yourself how bad the situation really is,based on a scale of one-to-ten, it will help you put it into perspective. You will see that what is bothering you right now really isn’t such a big deal.
If you are under pressure, one of the things that you can do is lift weights. When you contract your muscles, you will reduce the tension on your body and feel good about yourself. Do this in the comfort of your own home or at the gym to reduce stress levels.
Next time you are feeling stressed, do something that makes you smile. Just the act of smiling has been scientifically shown to reduce stress levels. The nerves you use when smiling trigger the center in your brain that controls emotions. This essentially begin relaxing you immediately. So next time you feel stressed, step back and grin!
When you get home at night, make sure that your room is as clean as possible and all of the clothes are put in your drawers. A messy room can make you feel like you have a lot of things on your plate, which can add tension and anxiety to your day.
A great tip that can help to you keep your stress levels down is to take a hot bath. The hot water will make you feel relaxed and you’ll forget about all of your troubles. Taking a hot bath can help keep your stress in check and it’s something you can do everyday.
If you are very serious during the day, try to find time to read jokes or riddles online. This will make you laugh and can serve as a breath of fresh air in a stuffy office environment. Find time to laugh if you want to reduce your overall stress level.
If you have tried other hobbies but found them unable to reduce your stress, then you may want to consider a handcraft. Even if you are a man, you can try out cross-stitching or scrap booking. The people who do these activities say that they begin to enter a trance and ultimately, feel better.
Make it a habit to rate whatever is stressing you on a scale from one to ten. One being a very small issue while ten being a major stress breakdown. Often, you will find the stresses you have at hand will fall in the lower end of the spectrum. This is a great way to put your stressful situations into perspective.
Notice the muscles or areas that tense up when you feel anxiety or stress. These can be in the back, shoulders, hands and jaw muscles. When you figure out where your tense muscles begin to show, work to relax those muscles whenever you feel stress coming on. Relaxation and reduced tension will result from this.
So whether you are having trouble coping with a new job, passing a difficult course, or dealing with unforeseen events that make it difficult to go about one’s business with an air of calm — do not be afraid to call upon these tips to help you cope.