How to Tackle Stress Right Now
Article by
Nada Khalil, Vice President
nada@leadershiplabllc.com
There are many ways to describe the pandemic and the last year so far – unbelievable, crazy, surreal, and definitely stressful. All around the world, people have been put under an enormous amount of stress like never before. How many of us have almost immediately started working from home? How have we suddenly become homeschool teachers and tutors? Even for countries or areas that are not as affected by the pandemic, there is still lingering knowledge of the global virus looming. To say everyone is affected by extra stress over the past year is an understatement. So, since we can’t completely eliminate stress from our lives, let’s consider how we can manage it instead. Here are a few ways to tackle stress right now:
Focus on What You Can Control Instead of What You Can’t
Some things are simply beyond our control: for example, the virus and when it will end, government laws and regulations, or even whether your child can go to school physically or not. Of course, you can write to local officials and make your voice heard. Still, generally speaking, the final decision on these major life-changing issues is not yours to make.
There are, however, things in your life that you can control. You can maintain your perspective and outlook. You can control what you watch on TV and which social media accounts you follow. You can control how much effort you put into work and how much time you spend with your kids.
Try to reframe problems into learning moments and see them in a positive light. For example, when you have to feed your child his 105th snack of the day, you can see it as extra time with him that you would never have gotten if you were at the office for work. When you focus on things that you can actually control – your attitude, your time, your effort – you’ll be able to eliminate stressors from your life.
Eat Healthily and Exercise Regularly
We know it’s hard to be mindful of eating healthy and squeezing in a workout every day, especially when a tub of ice cream (or a bottle of wine) is calling your name. We’re not saying you shouldn’t indulge once in a while, but eating healthy meals can give your mind and body the fuel you’ll need to get through these stressful times.
Add superfoods like avocado, nuts, and berries to your diet. Exercising is also a proven way to lift your mood instantly and relieve stress. Working out at least three times a week for even just 20 to 30 minutes each time will also do wonders for your mental health. Doing yoga for 30 minutes, or having a quick run around the neighborhood, will help keep stress at bay.
Connect to Others
Now more than ever, it’s important to maintain connections with family and friends. Having someone to talk to and share your feelings with is a vital way to relieve stress. Spending quality time with a person you trust and enjoy can help reduce anxiety.
Luckily, technology allows us to spend time with friends and loved ones, even if they’re many miles away. If you’ve already done this but think it’s not enough and need professional help, there’s no shame in talking to a therapist. The important thing is to have someone listen to you, even if they don’t have the solutions to your problems.
Time Management is Key
Spreading yourself too thin is a sure way to stress yourself out. When you have too many responsibilities and a to-do list that’s a million miles long, you’re sure to encounter many stressful moments.
When it seems like you don’t have enough time to do everything, then it’s probably true! There are only 24 hours in a day and only one you. Make sure that you keep this in mind when planning what you need and want to do.
Over-scheduling your day and saying yes to everything that comes your way can cause you undue anxiety. Avoid unnecessary stress by taking a good look at what you need to do and tackle them in order of importance. Learn how to prioritize and make sure to get those things done instead of trying to do everything, even unimportant tasks, all at once.
Learning how to delegate is also a tool of time management. For example, are you a working mom with a teenage child? Assign her to wash the dishes after each meal or to do the laundry once a week. Not only will it help you free your schedule a little bit, but you’ll also be teaching your child responsibility.
Learn How to Manage Stress When You Feel It Creeping In
Another way to tackle stress is to learn how to tackle it right when you feel it creeping in. Were you working on meeting a vital deadline when your child’s teacher suddenly called with not-so-good news? Was your sister on hold on the other line? And were you just about to cook lunch?
After you finish your urgent calls, take a minute (or a few minutes) to shut down everything and breathe. Inhale through your nose and exhale with your mouth. Take deep breaths each time you breathe in and out. Doing this even just a few times in a row is proven to alleviate stress immediately.
You can also do other things that work for you – take a work break, cuddle your dog, play your favorite stress-relieving song, or look at a photo from your last vacation. These short breaks can effectively reduce your stress levels.
Too much stress can be detrimental to both your physical and mental health. It can cause headaches, heart problems, asthma, and skin conditions. Stress can also cause depression and anxiety. To put it simply, being stressed out will take a toll on you. Before it reaches that point, try the techniques above to manage stress safely and get back to feeling balanced and in control.
Questions? Like to contribute to our blog? Please reach out to our team at info@leadershiplabllc.com