We all feel a little stressed and anxious from time to time. For some people, the symptoms of stress and anxiety can be so severe they are literally crippling - and interfering tremendously with day to day life. This is a compilation of various techniques (besides the traditional breathing exercises and other methods) I've either tried and love, read about and wanted to try, or know people who have tried them and say they work, to get you through a normal, albeit stressful, day.
*Please note I am not a professional and do not guarantee that any of these methods work for everybody and certainly do not believe they are a cure-all for any mental illness.
1. Waking up in the morning
If you're like me, waking up and getting out of bed can be the first step to a bad day. Waking up late, rushing around, trying to get out the door. All of that chaos in the morning is a surefire way to put you in a bad mood for the rest of the day. And although we've all heard that setting your alarm clock out of reaching and packing your lunch and picking out an outfit the night before can make the morning routine smoother, sometimes we fail to do so and other times we just hit snooze one (or two... or five) time too many. So, in order to make mornings less stressful, I've actually started giving myself something else to wake up to other than a neatly laid-out outfit.
- Plan and make a healthy breakfast. For me, this is a smoothie I can refrigerate and grab as I leave. But preparing it beforehand reduces the stress but also provides more reason to get up, because food.
- Read a book or story before bed, but save the ending for the morning. This takes an enormous amount of self-control, especially if you're an avid reader, but it helps! Because when your alarm goes off the next morning, you'll want to get up and finish that book.
- Stay away from your phone until you're up and ready. Believe it or not, scrolling before you've started moving can frame your mind for what kind of day you might be having. If your news feed or email drags you down, it'll be all too tempting to stay in bed until you're late and start a snowball effect for a rough day.
2. A terrible commute
Luckily for me, I live close enough to campus that I don't have to drive, and when I do, I'm within 15 minutes of wherever I'm going even with heavy traffic. The same can't be said for others. "Leave earlier" is the obvious answer here, but doesn't work for those who still can't get out of bed. And even if you do manage to leave early enough to account for traffic delays, being at a standstill on the highway can still get on your nerves.
- Create a playlist of songs you really enjoy that is longer than the commute would take. The kind of songs you'll sing and dance to obnoxiously in your car because no one is around to tell you no. So whether you're cruising along smoothly or stuck in a jam, you can dance to entertain yourself.
- Call your best friend. Or maybe a friend you haven't talked to in ages. If it's legal to be on your phone in your car and you're crawling along or at a standstill (no distracted driving please) you can just chat it up with someone who's always good at making you feel better.
- Find alternate routes. This can be a stress-reliever by itself. If you have the time to take the longer, scenic route to or from work, do it. A change in scenery is good for you, and gives you a chance to appreciate something you wouldn't normally get to see. And who knows, maybe that twisty dirt road will end up faster than the expressway!
3. Annoying Coworkers
I don't even need to describe this one for you. You'll deal with it forever. But at least you CAN deal with it. If you've tried the old-fashioned "talking to them about it" (maybe you're stressing them out too, unintentionally, and then you can both work it out) but still come out empty-handed, it's time to try something else.
- Keep a journal/blog to write down every annoying thing that guy in the cubicle next to you says. Refer back to it when trying to describe said coworker to friends and family. Not only will it be hilarious later, it'll actually make it easier to deal with his comments because you're benefiting from it.
(I don't care how petty this is - sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do)
- Wear headphones, if allowed. Some workplaces probably may not care if you have music playing at your desk if it's not disturbing anyone else. Better yet, you can drown out the complaints of everyone else. Just don't have it so loud you ignore your boss.
- Take breaks when necessary. It's easy to sit there and work and push for a deadline or try to stay busy. But sometimes you just need to excuse yourself to the bathroom or break room and sit alone for a few. That time away can help you refocus on your work rather than on your neighbor.
4. Ending the day
Coming home to household tension, awful roommates, or whatever can make home seem feel just as trapped as work. And all that buildup can lead to crappy sleep which leads to a crappy morning. It's an endless cycle.
- Set aside time for yourself. Even if it's very brief. Come home, shower, read a book, drink some tea, watch a movie. Do whatever you have to do to unwind and embrace solitude. After that, then go back and deal with the kids or the spouse or the roommates.
- Talk about your day. One of the greatest supported theories in stress management is social engagement. Find a support group and people with similar interests or that you get along with well. Similar to how the long-commute phone call would work, sharing your frustrations is a great way to prevent bottled up emotions. And the great thing about groups is that they are definitely willing to listen to your rants and listening to others might make you feel better also.
- Have a set bedtime routine. Wash your face, brush your teeth, plan your morning. Whatever you do, do it every night in the same order and try to do it at the same time every night. Eventually, you'll train to your body to know it's bedtime and you'll develop good nighttime habits.
Of course, there are all sorts of things you can do in the heat of the moment of any stressful situation and I'm sure you have found things that work for you. Finding hobbies, exercising regularly, owning a pet, etc. You can't avoid stress, but you can learn to manage it and live an overall happier life.
