“I’m so stressed this week!”
How many times have you found yourself saying something similar to that?
We often identify that we’re stressed but don’t do anything about it. Instead, we just hope that it will go away by itself.
And it probably will, eventually. But in the meantime it might be doing long term harm to your body and mind.
Stress can cause:
- Chest pain.
- Exhaustion.
- Sleep problems.
- Stomach problems.
- Headaches.
Should I worry about stress?
No, don’t worry about it – that will probably make things worse. But be aware of it and do things to reduce your stress.
Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are stressed but you might know that something isn’t right, or someone might say you seem stressed or on edge. This is when it’s important to speak to someone and lay our cards on the table. This is the first and most important part of managing stress.
If we let stress stay and grow then eventually it can develop into burnout. This is when you have nothing left in the tank and you’re completely exhausted.
Burnout has even more serious consequences like heart disease, depression & anxiety, respiratory conditions and migraines.
5 tips to bring those stress levels down
1. Breathe Deep
Get somewhere quiet and settle down. Close your eyes and breathe in your nose for 4 seconds, then purse your lips like you’re blowing up a balloon and breathe out for 8 seconds. Repeat this 3 times.
2. Break it down
If you have a task or a challenge that’s causing you stress, then break it down into the smallest steps you can and write these down. The steps might look silly on their own but when added up they make a difficult task much easier.
3. Sleep is your friend
Get to bed at a reasonable time, try to keep off your phone in bed and have a cold bedroom. These can all help improve your sleep and lower stress levels.
Remember: Nothing is a higher priority than your health & wellbeing.
You can’t pour from an empty cup.
4. Block off your time
Segment your time into small blocks, it might be 15 minutes or 60 minutes. Then in these blocks write your routine but start with your breaks and time off.
You can be super strict or quite loose – whatever works for you but try to limit wasted time and make sure you get your down time.
5. Say no (nicely)
This can feel hard to do but sometimes we need to protect our time and our wellbeing. If you’re not able to take something else on then don’t be afraid to say so.
Sometimes we need to tell ourselves no and admit that it’s time for a break. No more work for the day, no work on your day off, no to the things that cause you stress.
Weekly Wellbeing Tip
Moments of silence can be rare and brief so cherish them. If you have one make a point of turning the TV and phone off, sit back and breathe deep. Spend a couple of minutes absorbing the silence.
