Everyone in modern society deals with at least some stress on a daily basis.
Unless you are living on a mountain top and contemplating the wind, chances are that, like most people, you have job stress, social obligations and any number of other pressures.
Never fear.
Try these five ways to ease the strain: 1.
Take detox time.
For an hour, thirty minutes or even fifteen minutes, take some "self" time.
If you're at work, try a short walk or even a stretching or reading spell.
Chances are you work inside so a short respite outside is good.
If you're home, anything goes - music, a bubble bath or a dance break in your underwear are all fair game.
The point is to let loose however is right for you.
2.
Take a vacation from a challenging problem.
When you have a difficult situation to deal with, it can be all-encompassing.
It can be impossible to see the forest for the trees.
Sometimes something as simple as a day in a new environment can be just the tonic to get you de-stressed and back in balance.
Two days is even better if you can manage it.
Pick someplace relaxing (whatever that means to you) and you'll notice the relief even when you're back to dealing with your issue.
You may even be surprised by a new solution as that can happen effortlessly when we unplug.
3.
Find the upside of change.
Change is stressful.
We all deal with it and if you're unconscious to the effects it can have on you, that stress can creep up.
Change can be extreme such as a divorce, job loss or a death in the family, or as seemingly mild as a new job or new responsibilities at your old job.
Big changes and little changes can all have their effects.
How we talk about change has a lot to do with how we deal with it.
If we focus on negative aspects, our stress is greater.
But by intentionally accentuating the positive aspects, our stress is greatly reduced.
Even if it looks like there are no positives, I promise you there are.
Just make it up.
As sour as every lemon can be, it is a potential glass of lemonade.
4.
So much to do, so little time...
It can be easy to feel like the more we get done, the more there is to do.
As much as anything else, life can be a maintenance project.
If you have chores, repairs and "honey dos" coming out of your ears, it's probably reflected in your level of stress.
If you don't have a list, that's the the first thing to do.
Having undone tasks floating around your head can be toxic.
When it's all written down, one option is to plan some concentrated time to knock out the list.
Or if you're like me, you'll do it a little at a time and check it off as you go.
Either way, whittling down your list will lessen your mental load.
5.
Give yourself a reward.
With such busy lives, it's easy to overlook when we accomplished something.
Chances are that compared to what we have left to do, what we did looks like a drop in the bucket.
But it's important to stop and smell the roses, figuratively and maybe even literally.
A reward like a day at the spa or a shopping day to acknowledge that we accomplished something not only reduces stress, it highlights that we are effective.
And don't make it a one-time-a-year thing.
How about once a month? These are just a few ideas on how to lighten our stress levels.
Try them out and you'll be pleasantly surprised.