In these fast-paced times stress is a big problem. Some people don’t realise they’re too stressed, and some don’t know what to do about it. Some don’t think they have time to de-stress. They’re wrong.

In many cases, being calm makes you more focused and therefore more productive. In that way, reducing stress can give you more time to do the things you love. Here’s how.

1. Get some light. When your body absorbs sunlight, it starts to produce hormones such as serotonin, that stabilizes your mood. This is especially important during the winter months when you will be exposed to less light. Exposure to light during the days will also make you sleep better, making it easier to relax.
2. Laugh. Laughter reducers your level of a stress hormone called cortisol. Go ahead and have a laugh. I will make you feel better.
3. Work out. Exercising improves the flow of blood to your brain and increases the levels of endorphins in your body. Endorphins are hormones that will give you a feeling of happiness and overall wellbeing.
4. Learn to say “no”. If you’re the kind of person who agrees to take care of everything for everyone, you’re likely to become stressed if you don’t learn to set boundaries. By saying “no” to dealing with other people’s problems, you also say “yes” to dealing with your own.
5. Meditate. When you hear the word “meditation” you may think of new-age influenced people twisting their bodies into uncomfortable positions while chanting “ohmmm” for half an hour. Ignore these thoughts. Meditation is simply keeping your attention in the present and clearing your mind from thoughts. If you’re a beginner, try this: Sit down on a pillow on the floor. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Listen to your own breaths and feel the air going down to your lungs. Clear your mind from thoughts. Wait and see what your next thought will be. When that thought enters your mind, let it dissolve and wait for the next one. Do this for five minutes or until you’ve calmed down.
6. Focus on this very moment. Do only one thing at a time. Put your focus on your senses. What sounds do you hear right now? What do smell? What do you feel? Enjoy the shape of the flowers and the feeling of a gentle breeze. Hear the singing bird. Notice the details. Avoid thinking about the past or the future – life is what’s happening right now.
7. Drink tea. Having a cup of chamomile tea is a traditional way to calm you mind and relieve stress. However, other kinds of tea have shown to reduce stress as well.
8. Write down everything you have to do. Set a realistic time frame and decide when to do what.
9. Split up big tasks into smaller ones. Big tasks can cause a lot of stress. By making smaller tasks out of the big ones you can see your progress easier, and you’ll gain the satisfaction of checking something of your to-do list.
10. Don’t procrastinate. Use the one minute rule: if you have something you have to do that takes less than a minute, do it right away. Otherwise you’ll find yourself overwhelmed with things to do later on.
11. Declutter your home. By spending time in a cluttered environment, your mind will become cluttered as well. Set aside some time every day to declutter your home. ZenHabits.net has a great article on this topic.

You might not be able to try all of these things out, but do them one at a time and see what works for you.

Do you got any great way to cope with stress or anxiety? Share your wisdom below.

Photo: mtungate

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