The modern world is a lot of hard work. Money troubles, family issues, work problems are just some of the issues people have to face all of the time.
No matter if you’re a stay at home parent or a complete workaholic, the common pitfalls of everyday life can leave you feeling angry, worn down and frustrated. And don’t get me started on the feeling of guilt that never leaves a mom’s brain.
Long term stress can be seriously detrimental to personal well-being. It can be the cause of regular migraines, muscle tension, heart disease, insomnia, ulcers as well as major contributor to a host of psychological illnesses.
Dealing with anxiety and stress doesn’t have to be difficult. Some of my favorite ways of combating stress are:
Pick up a Pen
It’s been said that writing in a journal can help free your mind from the tangle of constant thoughts, as well as helping to naturally organize them. If analog pen and paper aren’t your style, there are a few great journaling applications out there. Day 1 has a seamless interface but is only available for IOS. Journey is a great alternative for Android.
You can also set up a blog to keep your journal there. It gives you a great feeling of accomplishment. Here are best blogging platforms for you to choose from.
Whatever your method, the act of putting your thoughts on paper will leave you feeling freer and lighter as the days wear on. And if the thought of journaling is too much to bear, for even a few minutes a day, try an adult coloring book.
Get in Your Cardio
Or really, any exercise, as long as it gets you moving. Your body functions in such a way that exercise helps to release dopamine into your system, stabilizing mood and increasing focus.
You don’t need a gym membership to get this going, a quick turn around the neighborhood for a half hour is enough to help boost. This has more long-term effects than immediate benefits, but the longer you persevere, the greater the effects.
Find Some Hobbies
Everybody needs to have interests outside of the work and family. Making sure some parts of your life are totally separate from other parts will help in those times when you need a refuge from the outside world. If your time is only spent thinking about the things which (can) cause you stress, then you are far more likely to remain stressed all of the time.
I like to read a lot of fantasy novels and then argue about them online. Hobbies don’t have to be physical activities, they should just be something you are really passionate about.
Try Meditation
Meditation for stress relief is available in many different forms. Guided meditations, hypnotherapy, mantra meditations, silent meditations and whole host of things that come somewhere in between. With all of them the main point is to find thirty minutes to an hour each day, where you can just sit back, let go of all your worries and just relax.
Daily meditation rituals help your body and mind remember what it is like to be content and relax. In time you will be able to use that feeling to help overcome stressful situations as they occur throughout the day, just by closing your eyes, taking a deep breath and remembering what it is like to be calm and relaxed.
Setting aside time to relax is very important, as if you don’t you’ll run the risk of getting physically, mentally and emotionally burnt out, which will only result in misery and failure. So allow yourself personal time, but make sure you plan out when that time will be, so that for the rest of the day you’re focused on your work.
Remember you can remain productive even when you are bored and tired. It’s not about doing work all the time: Being productive is all about spending every minute of your life with purpose, even if that purpose is to relax and de-stress.
Those are the ways I like to relieve stress and anxiety on a daily basis, if you’ve got any good tips I’d love to hear what you’ve got to say.
Image source: Pixabay
