Stressful situations are a typical part of anyone’s life but chronic stress is known to negatively affect your body. If you’re always stressed out, it can increase your risk of illnesses such as heart disease. The best way to keep that from happening is to learn short and long-term stress management techniques.
1. Meditation
Meditation has both short and long-lasting benefits for stress relief. When you start feeling stressed, it’s good to take some deep breaths while focusing on the moment. Repeating a mantra can also help. Fortunately, there are various types of meditation for you to choose from.
2. Guided Imagery
In this technique, you’ll conjure a mental image that’s called your happy place. What you choose is up to you as long as it’s a place that keeps you calm. During a stressful moment, doing some guided imagery can bring peace. If nothing is coming to mind, there are apps that can point you in the right direction.
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3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This one takes a bit of practice. It starts with some deep breathing, which is then followed by tightening and relaxing groups of muscles from the forehead to the toes. While doing it, concentrate on feeling relaxation spread through your body. This technique is also useful when stress is causing tension in specific muscles.
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4. Breathing Techniques
Studies show that deep breathing is an excellent way to relieve stress quickly. Unlike other techniques, you can even do them in the presence of others. The simplest one entails inhaling while counting to three and then exhaling at the same pace.
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5. Short Walks
Sometimes it helps to walk away from a stressful situation - especially if you know it’s one of your stress triggers. Even if it’s just strolling around the office, a change in scenery can help change your mindset.
6. Artistic Ventures
Depending on what you’re interested in, finding a creative outlet is a great way to manage your stress. Possible outlets include painting, sculpting, and drawing. With practice, some people find comfort in short bursts of creativity throughout the day.
7. Aromatherapy
It’s been shown that certain scents have a calming effect. The great thing is that you can use mild ones in the office and others while doing other stress management techniques like meditation. A few of the scents you should try include lemon, lavender, jasmine, rosemary, and sandalwood.
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8. Controlled Expression
Relieving stress isn’t always a quiet activity. When things make you upset, it’s good to know how to express your beliefs without becoming angry or aggressive.
9. Time Management
You can manage your stress well by being proactive as well. When thinking about your day, make sure to assign sufficient time to all your tasks. Things are less likely to become stressful if you’re not constantly working on a time crunch.
10. Boundaries
Another way to keep your stress low is knowing when to say no. Whether you’d like to be helpful or coworkers keepasking for your input, you need to develop effective tactics for staying on task.
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11. Regular Exercise
Having a regular exercise routine has been proven to improve your overall health. It’s also essential to manage stress long-term. It doesn’t matter what activities you choose as long as you are active for at least 30 minutes daily.
12. Scheduled Breaks
When thinking about your day, plan for small breaks throughout your day to declutter your mind for a bit. These breaks are great for listening to some music, saying some encouraging words to yourself, and enjoying some time in nature.
13. Hobbies
Regardless of how busy your schedule is, it pays to make time for leisure activities. Hobbies help you to consistently relieve stress because you’re doing something you enjoy. Things like gardening can double up as a form of exercise too.
14. Positive Thinking
Saying negative words to yourself can increase your stress too. It’s better to research positive talk to find what will work best for you. Over time, it will become second nature for you.
15. A Healthy Diet
There’s a direct link between what you eat and how well you can manage stress. Diets that are high in processed foods, refined sugar, and salt tend to encourage stress. If you switch those out for some fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, you’ll be healthier.
While you can manage your stress with these helpful techniques, there are times when you need to talk to someone. A trusted friend or family member can work but if you think your stress levels are high, you’re experiencing anxiety, or you’re prone to depression, you should seek out a therapist.
