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How can we reduce the effects of daily stress?
Stress can surprise us by being overwhelming or just by being irritatingly present in a constant low-grade form. In order to reduce even small amounts of stress, try to focus on maintaining a balance in your life between work, family and your personal life. Maintaining a support network of friends and coworkers and keeping up a relaxed and positive outlook is important. Easier said than done right? Well here are some quick and easy tips that can help you to get there sooner rather than later...
1. Identify the warning signs of stress
Stress can show up in all kinds of different shapes and sizes. Pinpointing stress can be tricky at times, so identifying the warnings signs can ease the process of stress relief.
According to the American Institute of Stress, some symptoms of stress may include:
Anxiety, irritability
Depressed feelings
Social withdrawal
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty concentrating
Muscle tension
Headaches
Using alcohol or drugs to cope
Once symptoms such as these are identified, conquering stress can become an increasingly simplified process. As soon as the impact of stress is identified, what’s left is working backwards toward the source of stress. What is working “backwards” exactly? It’s basically following the breadcrumbs. By solving the symptoms of stress proactively, finding (and processing) the cause may either become clear and easy or less important because your coping strategies have become so powerful. Either way, we have some tips for securing practical moments of peace and self-reflection throughout the day.
Smile at yourself in the morning
When you get ready for work in the morning or are brushing your teeth, smile at your reflection in the mirror. Although it may feel silly, this action is not only serving as positive reinforcement, but is also actively releasing endorphins that help to support happiness in your brain. The world becomes a more jubilant place when you are your own cheerleader.
Keep a Gratitude Log
Studies have shown that expressing gratitude on a daily basis can actively combat depressive symptoms and can help with productivity. Get a small journal and start your day by writing 3 things that you are grateful for about yourself, 3 things that you are grateful for about your work life, and 3 things that you are grateful for about your personal life. Tracing back over the span of weeks of entries, you can see a long trail of successes that help to release tension, celebrate the positive attributes of your life and efforts, and encourage you to continue the good fight toward personal and professional growth. In our opinion, this is the best kind of positive reinforcement.
Eat Spirulina
Spirulina is a highly alkalizing powdered dark green algae that balances your brain chemistry and reinforces the quality of your blood by supporting the function of your liver and pancreas. It offers a mega dose of chlorophyll, iron, sulfur, and fatty acids. This blue-green algae also boosts your immune system and helps to speed up healing as well as ridding your tissues of toxins. And most importantly, it provides you with clean energy that doesn’t make you crash like coffee does in the mornings- we suggest taking either a couple of tablets or better yet, adding it into your morning raw, vegan, and gluten free smoothie. If you don’t feel enough of an energy lifter with spirulina, try maca powder, a white dried and powdered root that helps to balance out hormones and also helps to avoid that caffeine crash. Many people don’t know that both coffee and dairy are acidic, which is not helpful for your body’s wellness long term, so try these alternatives and see if you can kick the latte addiction.
2. Download some of our favorite meditation apps such as:
Mind Valley’s Omvana
This app sports the 22 minute guided meditation- The 6 Phase Mediation (which can be found on YouTube if you do not have an iphone). This wildly successful meditation was created by the founder of Mindvalley who researched meditation habits of successful people and aggregated their exercises into this condensed recorded practice. The 6 Phase Mediation helps individuals to clearly visualize the futures that they may want for themselves. The experience helps listeners to start to take action-oriented approaches toward self-actualization. It supports listeners to continually revisit long-term goals and implement steps toward achieving them via a daily action plan.
Headspace
Headspace is great for people who are new to meditation. It is light and entertaining yet soothing and purposeful. There is a free option called the Take 10, and this is a collection of varied approaches to meditation that can all serve their purpose.
Breathe
Breathe offers a great way to track any changes in mood and cognition through your weeks of meditation. It offers a real-life opportunity to implement the breadcrumb theory that we discussed earlier.
Calm
Studies have shown that exposure to nature can reduce stress and increase focus and productivity. Calm unites meditation with sounds and scenes of nature. There are also options to focus on specific types of meditation or resolutions for particular problems. You can play just the nature sounds while you are working as well.
Remaining calm throughout the day, knowing how to re-center yourself when things get tough, and continuing to grow internally will help you to resolve stressful interpersonal issues as they may arise at work or at home. We wish you continued growth in your path toward a more balanced lifestyle.
