The majority of Americans have started reporting overwhelming feelings of stress in the past year. Living with chronic stress can cause symptoms like fatigue, increased blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, and more.
Whether you’re feeling stressed at home, at work, or at school, there are stress management strategies you can use to find relief.
Today, we’re going to take a look at four ways to approach managing stress that can change your life for the better. From embracing mindfulness to embracing your hobbies, we’ve got you covered.
Read on for four strategies you can use when dealing with stress.
Embrace Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a term we hear constantly these days. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness can be achieved through different techniques, but the goal is to keep yourself in the present moment.
Stress often arises when we’re overanalyzing something that already happened or worried about something that has yet to happen. By staying in the present, you can stay focused on what’s really happening around you. Popular mindfulness techniques include yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises.
Get Your Thoughts Out
Many people struggle to differentiate between their thoughts and their emotions. Emotions are the feelings we experience (i.e. joy, frustration, and anxiety) and are influenced by everything from our environment to our thoughts.
An important part of lowering stress is understanding our triggers. By writing down or speaking your thoughts in stressful moments, you can start to pick up patterns and address the thoughts that are influencing your feelings.
Make Time for Hobbies
Constantly distracting yourself from your stressors won’t solve your problems. However, neither will dwelling on them constantly. Making time for hobbies will build moments of low-stakes joy into your life.
If you haven’t had a hobby in years, consider the activities that brought you joy when you were younger or the activities you’ve always wanted to try. Stress-relieving hobbies can include drawing, painting, knitting, doing puzzles, playing video games, rollerblading, and more.
Slow Down
If you’re feeling like you never have the opportunity to rest or catch a break, it’s time to slow things down. If possible, take on fewer assignments at work and stop saying yes every time a friend or coworker asks you to do something.
Pay attention to what leaves you feeling refreshed and energized and what leaves you feeling stressed and drained. If you’re fighting chronic stress, it’s time to strike a better balance between staying busy and making time for yourself.
Use These Stress Management Strategies for a More Peaceful Life
These days, it seems like everyone could benefit from stress management strategies. Get started with these four tips and find more peace in your day-to-day life.
Changing the way you eat and exercise can also yield significant stress relief. Take a look around to learn more about healthy eating and fitness and start making the incremental changes that will transform your life.
