Stress is a fact of life – we all experience it and for many different reasons. Learning how to cope with stress and finding healthy ways to support yourself during stressful times can be helpful in living a healthy, positive life.
In recognition of Stress Awareness Month this April, we’re sharing a few tips on how to look after yourself when you’re feeling stressed or anxious.
Make time for self-care. There are many simple ways to implement self-care into your day. Find some time to relax or do something you enjoy. Take a 10-minute walk, prepare a nutritious lunch, or hit snooze on the alarm clock in the morning. Even something as simple as pausing and taking some deep breaths can be beneficial for managing stress. Learn more about deep breathing by following along in the video.
Ground yourself in the present moment. Ever get caught in your head? When we get lost in our thoughts, this can cause feelings of stress or anxiety. By grounding yourself in the present moment (the here-and-now) and tuning into your senses, you can find some space from these thoughts and alleviate symptoms of stress.
Take a restorative break. If there’s a point in the day that we start to feel overwhelmed and the work seems to pile on, often we push breaks aside thinking we don’t have enough time. However, studies have shown that taking breaks can help restore attention and boost productivity.
What’s important when taking a break is to ensure it’s restorative. Instead of using your break to reply emails or check voicemails, we challenge you to use your break to put down the technology and enjoy a few minutes to yourself. Learn a few easy ways to take a restorative break.
Talk about it. When we open up freely with friends, family, or colleagues about our stress, it not only helps to reduce the stigma associated with it but also acts as a buffer to stress. Share your coping mechanisms – if something has worked for you why not share it. It might benefit someone you care about and in the meantime, it might help you take your focus off your own challenges.
Looking after yourself is one of the most important things you can do when you are feeling stressed or anxious. Make time to relax when you need to and learn to say no to requests that are too much for you.
