20 Ways to Decrease Stress
“Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important.” Natalie Goldber
Breathe! This is basic but we actually forget to breathe deeply or often enough when we are stressed. Make a commitment to breathe slowly and deeply a few times a day.
Exercise now! Exercise is often the first thing to go when we are stressed. We need to make it a priority. Without exercise, both our bodies and our minds become lazy and out of shape.
Sleep. Being rested helps relieve stress. We tend to function at our best when we are well rested. Go home and take a nap today. You’ll be glad you did.
Journal. Write in a journal on a regular basis. Writing down your thoughts and feelings reduces stress and anxiety. It also creates a space to process tough issues and monitor progress.
Say no! Practice saying no out loud to yourself until you can say it in life. It’s okay and necessary to say no.
Take regular vacations. Tell your boss I said it was okay and go away. Make sure to make a conscious decision to leave the stress behind.
Pay yourself. Saving money is the key to wealth and to relieving financial stress. Begin saving money now even if it’s just a little at a time.
Stop saying, “I am so busy!” By verbalizing your busyness, you become more stressed and actually create more busyness. Focus on being productive or creative.
Take a personal retreat. Use this time away to review your goals, your mission and your core values. This time for personal development is a great way to de-stress and connect with who you are and what’s important.
Have a Pity Party. Cry and pout when you need to. Life can be disappointing. Give yourself permission to be in a funk but set a time limit on it.
Create a stress-free zone. This is a physical space that you declare off limits to stress. This can be a chair, a room or an outdoor space.
Organize your time. Plan ahead, work your plan and let go of the things that get in the way. Time management = successful life management. Use your time wisely.
Use the 24 hour rule. Take 24 hours to make any major decision. This helps keep you from saying yes when you should really say no. Always sleep on it – you’ll be glad you did.
Keep your lizard in its cage. Stress and anger make us think with the brain power of a lizard. By dealing with your stress and anger in a positive way, you will keep your personal reptile in its cage.
Let go of the past. Clinging to the past creates stress and steals today’s opportunities. When you let go of the past, you let go of stress and live in today.
Slow down. Slow down on the freeway, in your conversations and in life. Slowing down allows you to live life, not just drive through.
Take five. When you feel stress brewing – take five minutes. Go for a walk, breathe deeply or just change scenery. Then come back when you are ready to tackle the situation.
Practice self-care on a regular basis. Scheduling regular time to take care of yourself ensures you’ll be ready to handle the stressful periods in your life.
Build reserves. Build emotional, physical and financial reserves. By having reserves you will be prepared for difficult situations that may come your way.
Play. Play has a wonderful way of transporting our lives out of stress. Regular dates just to play are an important part of living an awesome life.
Michelle NeuJahr, Motivational Speaker, Business Coach
The Business Renovation Company
