The idea of making it “big” has a lot of people striving to want to live how the media and Hollywood would have us think. What we fail to realize is that very few people actually make it big, but that doesn’t stop some of us from trying even though our daily issues of life like work, family, other daily obligations and even traffic are giving us a heavy dose of stress. What compounds the stress is that overall feeling that this cycle is never going to end, and having a cell phone doesn’t make it any better since it makes it virtually impossible to not be reached at some point.
While we’re working out a plan to take the chaos out our lives, we need to learn how to reduce stress because of how it affects our mental and physical state. Stress can cause muscle tension, insomnia, digestive problems, asthma, weak immune function, headaches and heart disease. This means stress can greatly damage your health if you allow it. But, if you alter a few things in your hectic schedule, you will be able to monitor your stress while changing the way you perceive the issues of life.
Here are a few suggestions on how to help you reduce stress in your life.
Use Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses scents to help you relax, relieve stress and gain energy. That’s because certain fragrances often trigger specific types of memory in our olfactory processing center. Even though some people may vary on how they react to a particular scent, it is common for most people to associate stress relief and relaxation with eucalyptus and lavender.
Breathe Deeply
Since deep breathing can be done no matter where you are, it is an ideal tool for reducing stress. It kind of works like meditation because it has some of the same benefits when it comes to relieving anxiety. So regardless of how much drama you have in your day (traffic jams, long lines, rude people, etc.), you can rest assured that deep breathing will get you back to normal quickly. Try counting to 10 while closing your eyes and concentrating on your breathing. Some therapists suggest holding your breath for 5 or 10 seconds intentionally before exhaling the air. This works wonders for relieving stress instantly.
Meditate to ease stress
Meditation has become an ideal stress reliever and it’s no surprise why. Meditation helps eliminate some of the effects of cognitive disorganization, depression and emotional irritability. You will also gain more energy to get things done throughout the day, and you won’t be plagued with bouts of being lonely. Keep in mind that your perfect meditation style may not happen overnight. You may not always find time to do it, so don’t let that be another cause for stress also. Just take your time and find a quiet spot when you do have days you can comfortably fit meditation into your schedule.
Stretch with Yoga
Like deep breathing and meditation, yoga also provides many benefits for the body while relieving stress. Yoga is known to get rid of tense muscles that can cause pain, spasms, or pinched nerves if left untreated. Also, yoga has an added bonus of improving weight loss and blood circulation, making it one of the more obvious solutions for reducing stress.
Practice Gratitude
Because the media and Hollywood are constantly shoving enhanced photos, picture-perfect Instagram pics, hype advertisements and celebrity endorsements into our lives on a daily basis, we tend to forget to value what we already have because of our desire to get more things. However, if we take the time to be thankful for what we already have in our lives, we will change our outlook on life from a negative one to a positive one. Also we will be doing our immune system a favor if we stop to smell the roses of our own lives. So take a moment and make a list of all the things you appreciate having and the things that give you joy. If you do so, you will be on your way to having a life filled with much less stress because of a new perspective.
Take regular vacations
Getting a few days off can work wonders for relieving stress from work. While you are off, make sure to not deal with any work emails until you get back to work. The few days off will do your body some good, too, and you will return to work with more drive to work.
