As the years go on, stress seems to become more and more of a front liner in everyday life. Unfortunately, stress can weigh heavily on not only our minds and hearts, but it is also harmful to our physical health, as well. Chronic stress can definitely keep you from feeling and performing your best, and this includes school, work, and even in your friendships. No one’s life is completely stress-free, but it is important to learn effective ways to deal with stress, so that you can get back to feeling great. Here are a few tips:
Manage Your Time
Time is usually a big stressor for a lot of people. If you are constantly behind or running around from place to place, feeling like you never have a chance to take a breath, you are definitely stressed. Create a schedule for yourself each day, know what you have to accomplish, and make sure you take time to breathe and take a break. I create schedules for each week and then break it all down day to day. This allows me to space everything out, meet deadlines without feeling too rushed (at least all the time), and it allows me to know when I have the ability to stop.
Exercise
Exercise is so good for us, especially when it comes to effectively dealing with stress. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says, “The physical benefits of exercise—improving physical condition and fighting disease—have long been established, and physicians always encourage staying physically active. Exercise is also considered vital for maintaining mental fitness, and it can reduce stress. Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate.
When stress affects the brain, with its many nerve connections, the rest of the body feels the impact as well. So it stands to reason that if your body feels better, so does your mind. Exercise and other physical activity produce endorphins—chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers—and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, even breathing deeply can cause your body to produce endorphins. And conventional wisdom holds that a workout of low to moderate intensity makes you feel energized and healthy.
Scientists have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.”
Look For The Silver Lining
Psychology Today says, “Mentally strong people don’t necessarily see the world through rose-colored glasses—they have a realistic outlook—but they do look for the silver lining in tough circumstances. They recognize that good things can come from stressful situations. Rather than allowing hardship to turn them into bitter people or helpless victims, they choose to use stressful circumstances to become stronger and better.” So, when you are stressed from a ‘bad’ situation, I want you to try to turn it around and think about how you can make the glass seem half full. For example, if you hate your job, just think about how so many people would love to have what you have. There are people out on the streets with no food or money, but you are at home, warm, with dinner. You can think about each bad scenario in this way.
Make Changes
As I was writing the paragraph about looking for a silver lining, I realized that not everything should stay the same. If you really hate your job, should you be forced to stay in that career just because you are lucky? I don’t think so. Point out your stressors and trying to eliminate them from your life. Maybe this means that you need to start job hunting, or join another small group. No matter what it is, make it happen for yourself because you should not ever let stress or negativity control your life and if that’s what is happening, you know you need to make some changes. Keep in mind: if you need to make a big change, such as a big move (a long distance move, perhaps?!), doing it on your own is NOT a great way to help reduce stress. Instead, make sure you get help from a great moving company. This is honestly the only way that you can make a big move less stressful. The good news? ★Star City Services★ is a local VA-based moving team that specializes in Roanoke long distance moving, residential moving, and commercial moving. They can also help with other services, that are related to your home, and moving, such as: home staging, packing and unpacking, storage, and so much more. When you work with Star City Services, you not only get great service and affordable pricing, but they go above and beyond to make sure that you have a stress-free moving process. They provide boxes, pads, and other packing materials, give you organizing tips, checklists, and perform a final sweep for forgotten items, and they loan and unload in a certain order according to your specific preferences. If you want to make big changes, such as moving, make sure to make the process less stressful, while you are in the thick of it.
Mercedes Moore 