Stomachaches, headaches, backaches and insomnia are one of the many effects of stress. In our fast-paced technology world, many of us are combatting stress. While stress can sometimes motive us to meet a deadline, it can have majors impact on our body, and it shouldn't take center stage in our life. Here are few of my personal habits that keep my stress level down.
1. Get yourself a plant or two
Some people like dogs and cats. I like plants. But you don't have to be a plant freak to reap some of the benefits. As we all already know, our environment affects us, so choose well. One way you can do that is by getting in touch with nature. Not a nature person? No biggie! You really don't have to go hiking in the middle of nowhere to zen out. All you really need is a plant. Here is a list to get you started.
2. Breath in, breath out and stretch
I work the typical nine-to-five in an office environment. When I first started, I was so consumed by my workload that the only stretching I did was walking to the microwave. After a couple of weeks, my body began to tighten up and I felt an excruciating pain that ran from the small of my back all the way to my neck. I knew then that something had to change. From then on, I reserved five to ten minutes of my day to do some stretching exercises.
The result: it rejuvenated me and allowed me to feel less stress, as I had forced my body muscles to relax.
3. Words of affirmation
Stress can often come from the inside. More than often we are the culprit of negative inside conversations, so don't be too hard on yourself. If you have accomplished something today, remember to pat yourself on the back. Congratulate yourself even if you haven't reached your ultimate goal. Every step counts, and you should acknowledge that. The more you do that, the more you'll feel yourself relax.
4. Take a stroll
When you find yourself feeling stressed and nothing else is working for you, sometimes the best thing to do is to take a walk. Now, if you live in a city, in my case New York, I would advise to avoid crowded spaces, especially Times Square. What works best is to take a stroll around a park or a less frequented street. The tranquility of your surroundings will make you forget that you were even stressed to begin with.
5. Make a list
Before even starting your day, make a list of important things you would like to accomplish. Because I'm old-school, I usually write my list of To-Do's on my chalkboard. Writing a list will help you sort out all the messiness inside your head and will allow you to focus better. Not to mention that having the ability to see everything that you have accomplished at the end of the day is extremely gratifying.
6. Routines are good
Most people don't like routines because they think that it takes the fun out of life. I disagree; I like structure. I find that scheduling your day lessens the stress tremendously. By scheduling your day, I don't mean by the minute. What I am referring to is having a night routine and a morning routine. For example, I like to sleep by 10pm and read something right before that. In the morning I like to do some core exercises, eat and then get ready for the day. By doing that I feel less stress and more energized.
FYI: Feel free to break the routine every now and then. You only have one life.
7. Watch out for your facial expressions
When I stress, I tend to frown a lot and have a very serious look. I soon realized that I was spending an unnecessary amount of energy keeping that frown up. Now, as soon as I feel stress I make sure to relax the muscles in my face by doing facial exercises. Try it. It works!
