Beat Stress with Healthy Habits

It is a well-known fact that some people handle stress better than others. Have you ever wondered why?

To some degree it has to do with each individual’s inherent personality. Some people are just more highly strung than others. It is, however, the coping mechanisms that you develop throughout your life that determine how well you handle sustained stressors.

Browse through the list of stress-beating habits below and see how full your arsenal is:

Sleep

If your body and mind are tired, then you start the day at a disadvantage. You will be less able to focus and your level of productivity will be affected. If you’re already stressed about your workload, then being less productive will just add to your stress.

Exercise

You may think that going for a massage is wonderfully relaxing, and you are, of course, correct. Exercise, however, is a far better way to loosen up tight muscles and release endorphins, those feel-good hormones that are your body’s natural antidepressants.

Play

Do something fun. What do kids do when they start feeling the pressure? They decompress by playing. Whether it is shooting some hoops with friends, walking your dog in the park, reading a book or weeding the garden, do something that takes your mind off those things that cause you to stress.

Laugh

Having a good laugh is tonic to the soul. Whether your laughter is triggered by a movie or TV show, a live show or simply time spent with friends and loved ones, is immaterial. As long as you laugh enough to release endorphins.

Tidy

Perhaps you are one of those people who are stressed by chaos. Perhaps you don’t even know that untidiness causes you stress. Spend some time tidying and organizing your work space, or your kitchen or living area. If an orderly space makes you feel better, then accept that letting the space get untidy is a source of stress for you.

Organize

When you have so much to do that you don’t know where to begin then both the workload and the inactivity are stressors. Manage both by creating a list, prioritizing the items on the list and focusing on just one thing at a time.

Talk

Spend some time talking to a trusted friend or relative. Sometimes all it takes to refocus your mind and unscramble your thoughts is saying things out loud. Sometimes an external party’s perspective is all that is needed to get your mind out of its rut. If you don’t want advice, then say this up front so that your listener knows that all you want is to express yourself.

Meditate

Calming the mind is a learned skill. The simplest meditation technique is to focus on your breath. Close your eyes and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, taking deep breaths and expelling them completely. If your mind wanders, gently pull it back to focusing on your breath.

Stress eats away at your joy and can be physically and mentally harmful. These simple techniques will help you develop stress-beating habits.