According to a recent survey, work related stress is huge right now, in the last couple of years when I have been coaching I have come across several clients who are working too hard, simply don’t have their work / life balance in place and are in danger of burnout. One woman I know who runs a massively successful natural brand said she ‘knew it was coming’ but felt powerless to prevent it.
Here, a US guest writer offers some suggestions to reduce stress and practice mindful living
Whatever line of work you’re in, it’s likely that you experience some degree of stress on a regular basis. While stress can be attributed to the hectic modern lifestyle, living with recurring stress can easily take a negative toll on your health and quality of life. It’s important to find healthy ways to manage your stress, get in touch with yourself and practice mindful living, even if you have a packed work schedule. If you feel as though you’ve already tried the usual stress-relief approaches, you may want to give these more creative methods a try next.
Try Your Hand at Journaling, Blogging or Creative Writing
One of the best ways to relieve stress while exercising your unique creativity is writing, so why not pick up this fascinating and fruitful hobby? Even if you don’t have any prior experience, you can still let your feelings out and expand your mind through journaling, monthly blog writing, creative fiction or nonfiction writing and much more. You may want to start by exploring different options to see which one clicks with you the best. For instance, some may prefer to write long-form poetry, while others may prefer to keep a diary.
Make the Most of Your Backyard Space
If you’re fortunate enough to have a backyard with a significant amount of outdoor space, be sure to make the most of your little piece of nature when it’s time to relax. The great outdoors is a well-known stress reliever, and if you have a backyard, you don’t have to go far to experience it! You can simply:
- Pitch a tent and camp out in the backyard
- Have your own picnic on the lawn
- Spend some time gazing at the stars
- Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature
Spend Some Time Unwinding With Your Favorite Music
Perhaps surprisingly, music is incredibly effective at relieving stress. Whether you like to practice meditation or yoga with calm background music or you prefer something a little more high-energy, just putting on your favorite tunes can help you unwind. Simply turn on the music, sit back and let yourself be mindful of your surroundings to help get your mind off of your workday. You can also pop on your fave track and just ‘dance’ – like nobody is watching.
Schedule a Personal Spa Day
Rather than spending your day off from work checking emails or staring at a screen, why not schedule your own personal spa day? You don’t need to seek professional treatments to unwind – simply transform your own bathroom into a mini oasis of relaxation! For your at-home spa day, be sure to include the following soothing activities on your must-try list.
- Paint your nails (Janey says ‘Use natural polish!)
- Take a bubble bath or use bath /magnesium salts (check out Shui-Me and Dajan Organics
- Try a hydrating face mask
- Use a back massager
Bake Some Special Treats and Indulge
Sometimes a little indulgence is what you really need to loosen up and get relaxed! If it’s been a while since you’ve treated yourself, why not take an afternoon off and bake up some special delicacies? You can adapt this method to whatever your tastes happen to be, of course you can substitute sugar for some natural sweetener too. Some perennial favorites that are sure to put you in a good mood include:
- Brownies
- Cookies
- Banana bread
- Pie
- Cake
Workers in every industry and profession can become burned out and stressed due to today’s fast-paced lifestyle. If you’re tired of the hectic schedule and you’re feeling stress bubbling up, it’s critical to make more time for yourself and practice stress relief and mindfulness on a regular basis. Stress relief can be personalized and fun, so even if you feel as though you’ve already tried every relief option in the book, you can switch things up and get relaxed by employing these creative methods.
Thanks to our guest writer, of course I’d add in that you could consider ditching the booze, it really helps you to feel less anxious, check out The Sober Club