Stress is a part of everyday life. Adults are living with increased stress levels which are higher than normal level. It is extremely important to manage stress if you want to stay healthy.
Look at this infographic by American Psychological Association.
It is not possible to eliminate stress but you can act positively to reduce it. Here are 20 ideas to help you get better at handling stressful conditions:
1.Be Spiritual
You should have a daily spiritual routine which may include reading spiritual books, practicing meditation and doing prayers. This enables you to handle almost anything that comes your way.
Prayer is the best anti depressant. Believe in God and pray. He will give you the power to face and solve any problem.
RELATED: Why Is Spirituality Important
RELATED: What to do When You Can’t Find Any Solution To Your Problem
2.Physical exercise/ sports
Sports and exercise improves the quality of our lives. Psychologists recommend brisk walk to treat anxiety disorders, tension and depression. Do physical exercise daily for at least 30 minutes to increase your physical and mental strength.
Read: How walking can help you relieve stress
3. Yoga
Take your exercise to the next level. Add yoga to your daily exercise regimen. It is more than just a physical exercise. It reduces stress, improves concentration level and cures most of the ailments.
RELATED: 20 Best Resources To Learn Yoga Online
4.Do laughter exercise daily
Laughter is the best medicine. Daily laughter exercise has numerous health benefits. Anyone can do it anytime. Start today If you have not done it before and experience the healing power. Watch this video:
5. Get out of debts
Debt is a major cause of depression as it hurts your mental and physical levels. When you are in debts, your motivation level is too low and you start losing control over life. If you are under debts, take practical action to address your debt problem as soon as possible. The earlier you deal with debts, the easier they are to deal with.
READ: How to deal with debt problems
6. Set a goal
Having a goal in life shifts your focus from challenges of the present to possibilities of the future. Goal setting gives us purpose, motivation and focus and we become action oriented. Set goals to reduce stress in your life.
7. Keep yourself busy
” The secret of being miserable is to have the leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not. The cure for it is occupation.” George Bernard Shaw
Have a daily work routine and keep yourself busy to manage stress and to stay happy.
8. Listen to music of your choice
Music is an effective tool to manage stress. It has a deep relaxing effect on our minds especially when we listen to classical and slow music.
Listen to beautiful inspiring music as it quickly shifts your mood when you are in stress.
9. Concentration exercise.
This is the most powerful technique to strengthen your mind, enabling you to manage stress effectively. By practicing this exercise even for 10 minutes daily, you will have immense mind power.
Watch this video to learn a simple and powerful concentration exercise.
10. Spend some time with nature
Spending time in nature reduces stress as it has a calming and meditative effect on the overstressed mind. Get outside! Enjoy the fragrance of those beautiful flowers. Relish the fresh air and the beauty of nature. Paste beautiful photos of nature in your room and choose nature images as screensavers.
11.Read books and blogs
Reading provides food for thought. Develop the habit of reading good books and/or blogs daily. This keeps you mentally stimulated.
12. Practice Positive Self Talk
Words have power. Use them wisely and speak what you want.
Daily practice of positive self talk not only helps in removing stress but also allows you to live a happier and fulfilling life. Replace the negative mental chatter by repeating positive statements of a desired outcome or goal.
RELATED: Do You Recognize The Power Of Spoken Words?
13. Blogging
Writing is transformative and helps you clarify your thoughts. If you are passionate about writing you should start a blog. I can say this because blogging has been a great learning experience for me and has helped me to manage stress in my life.
14. Research
Research is healing. Write down what makes your life difficult and start reading to find answers to these problems. You will get answers to your questions and will gain a new perspective on life. You will also be better able to think up solutions to your problems.
15.Help others
Help at least one person daily. This will make you feel much better and will give you a sense of satisfaction. When you help others, you forget about your problems. So make charity a habit.
16. Develop a ‘do it now’ attitude
Procrastination is one of the major causes of stress. When you keep on delaying important tasks, all the deadlines and pressures pile up causing too much stress. So develop a ‘do it now’ attitude. Doing things before time give you a sense of accomplishment and boosts your confidence level.
RELATED: Procrastination? Its Action Time
17. Declutter
Reduce clutter to reduce stress. There is a correlation between visual and mental clutter. Declutter your home, make it clean and organized for a calming environment.
18.Stop Watching News Channels
News directors prefer showing negative news by presenting alarming stories about every imaginable tragedy. This directly affects our mood, thinking and behavior and makes us sadder.
19.Stop Worrying About Your Past And Future
Live in present, avoid minor mental distractions and stay motivated.Don’t keep fretting over past mistakes and don’t drown yourself in the worries of the future.
RELATED: 10 Powerful Tips To Let Go Of Past Worries?
20. Travel/Holidays
Taking a holiday is a very effective way to manage stress. When you are traveling you tend to forget about the problems which give you stress. This gives you a temporary break from worries. When you are mentally fresh, you can think of effective ways to solve your problems.
RELATED: Make Your Plane Ride Productive And Enjoyable
Photos via pixabay