Five Ways to Manage Stress in Your Life

Even if you were suddenly to be living your dream life there would still be stress to deal with!

Yes, even those in the fairy tales of your childhood days still experienced stress, only they probably did not define it as such! Here are five ways to bring the stress you are experiencing way down.

1. Exercise on a regular basis. Do not think of physical activity as something you only do once in a while or every second Saturday afternoon but get out and get moving as often as your schedule allows. It is best to choose exercises that are non-competitive in nature. If you do not like to exercise alone then choose something that you can do with a family member or friend.

Vary the type of exercises you do and set reasonable goals for yourself. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise releases endorphins in your system which makes you feel good and can contribute to a more upbeat attitude.

2. Eat healthy and drink as sensibly as possible. Do not devalue the role that eating nutritiously can play in your busy life. We are often tempted to eat too much (and to eat too many of the wrong foods, i.e. fatty, fried or sugary foods) when we are feeling overwhelmed by stress. The same goes for alcohol consumption. This actually can make stress worse. Be smart and sensible about what you eat and drink!

3. Let go of the feeling that you must be in control of everything. Wouldn’t it be great if everything was within our control? Perhaps it would but it is not so accept that reality of life. Take responsibility for the things you do and let the rest go. It is exhausting trying to control the uncontrollable and you will not be successful at it anyway. Let go of futility and just live your life!

4. Be realistic in your expectations of yourself and others and set goals that you can reach. There is nothing wrong with setting the bar high but if you set it to a place that is unattainable then you are likely to get discouraged and to abandon whatever it is you are pursuing. We all have potential but we all have limitations as well. Do not lose sight of this when it comes to yourself and to others.

5. Developing effective time management skills can help to reduce the stress you are feeling. If you feel that you do not have enough time for the important things in your life such as family and friends then take a close look at how your spend your days. You may find that there are things you do that you can reduce or eliminate all together in order to concentrate on what matters most to you.  Look for meaning in your life and remember that being busy and being happy and fulfilled are not the same things.

I have some more to share so look out for my next post where I’ll share even more ways to reduce stress in your life.

Becca

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Reduce Stress by Managing Your Time More Effectively

If you feel stressed to the extreme a great deal of the time and you yearn to increase your level of productivity both at home as well as at work then what you require is a more effective means of managing your time. Here we look at some tips for time management that can help you to feel less overwhelmed.

Developing effective time management skills is so important for everyone. The skills that involve time will make it easier for you to accomplish what needs to be done. This can then help to reduce the amount of stress you feel and it will also lead to a happier, healthier and more satisfying life.

Plan and Write Up a To-Do List:

Planning ahead can help put you back into the driver’s seat of your own life. How do you do that?

It is simple really. Write up a to-do list and put the most significant tasks at the top of the list. Mark each item off as you get it done. It also helps to keep a record of your schedule in regards to appointments, meetings, deadlines, etc. In this way you are more prepared and are less likely to be flustered or harried.

Now it is time to take the to-do list one step further. In other words, you should give each and every one of your tasks the priority they deserve. To use an example, of all of the items on your list today what must be accomplished as soon as possible and absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow? What can wait for another day? If you can prioritize items and tasks in black and white then you will be calmer, more relaxed and more centered.

This equals less stress and reminds you that everything on your list is not do or die. Plus life is about more than just 1-2-3 on a list.

Seek Balance in Your Life:

Figure out what is most significant and then get to it first.

This is especially important if it is something that you are not looking forward to doing. You want to be as fresh as possible when you tackle such a task so pencil it in for early in the day. Then once it is over you can get on with the rest of your day and you will not have to worry about it anymore. Keep in mind too that some things you need to do will take up larger blocks of time than will others.

Balance in life is essential to not having to cope with a stress overload. Strive for this balance when it comes to how you manage your time. You have your personal life and your professional life and both matter tremendously. Do not let work take over your life to the point where you leave yourself no time for loved ones and friends and no time to enjoy pursuing your favorite activities.

Take a close look at all of your responsibilities, your work related tasks, your family unit, and your social activities and find ways to balance it all out. Overdoing anything to the exclusion of other things can lead to neglect of something significant in your life or even worse- burnout. Manage your time well and the same can be said for stress management.

Becca

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