- Never dwell on something for hours unless it is life threatening
It is always easy to sink into the couch and watch TV endlessly, or work on the computer for hours, or perhaps get lost in a very exciting video game. Yes, it is very convenient and it is also very unhealthy. You could lose track of time, precious time that could be used in some other beneficial endeavors.
How to avoid it?
Set a goal to take a break every 30-min, 1-hour or 2-hour intervals and be sure to comply.
Here's a trick that will really help--I call it the 'bottomless drink' technique. Drink a full glass of low-calorie beverage (water is highly recommended) before you do a prolonged activity. In an hour or so, your bladder fills up and you can't resist the urge to dispose of, thus, you will be compelled to abandon whatever you are doing at the moment, forcing you a break--your much needed break.
Take your time. Go to the bathroom, and before you sit back on your couch, desk, chair or favorite spot always refill by drinking another full glass of beverage. Repeat the cycle endlessly. This is a very powerful trick that brings about a lot of benefits. If you are on a diet, the beverage fills you up most of the time so it limits your food intake. Do snack in between. The repetitive cycle of refilling and disposing of water from your body helps clean your system of toxins that have accumulated in your body.
- Breathe
Oxygen is important for all bodily functions. Your brain which is a vital organ is the primary consumer of the oxygen that you take in. Take time to breathe. It is as essential as drinking, sleeping and eating. Set a few minutes in a day and devote it primarily for breathing exercises.
When you breathe in think about all the good energy and imagine it being drawn to yourself. When you breathe out release all the negativity that you feel inside.
Keep this a daily habit and you will drastically reduce your body's stress level. Even in stressful situations, always take time to breathe.
So the next time you are stuck in a heavy traffic or in a painstakingly long queue, instead of toying with your electronic gadgets or cursing behind your breath, savor this opportunity to breathe.
- Release your inner tension in a creative way
If your body has been subjected to stress for a long while tension builds up inside your body and this could progress to more serious illnesses. Find a way to let it out.
Frustrated? Angry?
Go to a secluded spot and scream at the top of your lungs. You can do this inside your car when you are alone. Just make sure the windows are closed. You can scream in your shower. You can scream under your pillow. You can even go to a sports arena to watch your favorite team, and you can let it all out by just cheering and screaming (not on someone else's ear though, or you will be presented with a more stressful situation to deal with.)
If you love to dance, play some music then groove.
Do a brisk walk around your block and as you walk, mentally picture all the negatives in your life as heavy blocks dropping off one by one with no way of catching up with your pace.
There are other ways to release the tension. You can even break bottles that you place inside a safe plastic bag in your own backyard. Do not go to the extent though of causing a domestic disturbance. Find a hard object to hit the bottles with and everytime your hear that shattered glass sound visualize bubbles of negative energy popping up into thin air. But always be cautious to avoid bodily injury. Always gear up for protection.
- Take supplements to help relax your body
In this day and age, there is an abundance of supplements that you can take to help you relax. Drink chamomile tea. It relaxes your nerves. You can also take St. john's wort as a mood enhancer. For other supplements that claim to help improve your health, always stay on the safe side. If it is not, FDA approved, research about it thoroughly to check if it is safe. It is always good to ask for an advice from your physician especially if you are suffering from certain illnesses.
- Occasionally pamper yourself
Why do you bust your ass on a daily basis?
The answer to that maybe subjective but here's a try. You work hard, so you can save enough money, improve your quality of life, and enjoy your retirement. But think of it this way. What is there to enjoy when your body is so worn out from all the stress you've subjected yourself to, over the years? By that time, you probably have the financial capability but you maybe physically bombarded with illnesses like obesity, diabetes, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, dementia, Alzheimer's and all other serious conditions that will prevent you from achieving your life-long dream of enjoying your life.
What's my point?
My point is, don't be so harsh on yourself. You are not a workhorse. You are not a machine with replaceable parts. Take time to rejuvenate yourself. Get a massage. Go to a spa. Get a makeover. Watch a movie. Reward yourself. Indulge. Shop. Take a trip to the country side.
Do something that will make you take your mind off of all the problems that are causing you to be stressed.
Take time to relax, now. Don't postpone it for the next year or decade. In this random universe, your future is not as certain as death and taxes.
- Learn to walk away from stressful situations
If you are in a very stressful situation sometimes, it maybe helpful to just walk away. Take a time out and recollect yourself before the situation overcomes you. If you are in a Catch22 situation, then maybe there's no point of putting yourself in the line of fire. Walking away may save your sanity.
- Take a daily dose of mental ventilation
At night as soon as you close your eyes, you probably spend the next hour or so assimilating in your head the things that you need to do and the tasks that you are expected to accomplish. Or perhaps there is an ongoing debate in your head about an issue or a predicament that is bugging you. Or maybe you are bombarded with questions that you really are not mentally ready to answer due to exhaustion.
Stop replaying these monsters in your head. Purge your mind of unpleasant thoughts. Let them out.
Write them down. Keep a handy supply of pen and paper to rescue you. Keep a voice recorder within easy access and take notes orally. Some cellphones and computers are equipped with voice notes recording option. Utilize them.
Not enough?
Download this very useful tool that will help clear the clutter in your head as they pop out and visually connect them in a structured format for easy review or reference in your computer.
- Socialize
No man is an island per se. No matter how self-sufficient we are, we all at some point need to connect to humanity. We need to strike a chord with our own kind through interacting and communicating with other people. Sometimes we are too confined in our own world that it becomes impossible for us to see the bigger picture. It is hard to capture the image if we are looking from down under. Chances are, we will also be engulfed in our own perspective and convictions that maybe limited and uninspired. We need to get out and take a different view from a different angle. Connect with other people. Communicate. Express emotions. Really a more sociable person has more avenues to channel out negative energies.
- Engage in leisurely activities
Whatever you love to do, take time to do it, and enjoy every moment of it. Just don't hurt somebody. Cook. Paint. Do scrapbooking. Blog. Go fishing. Go camping. Do photography. Take a stroll with your pet. Dine out. Go sailing. Do sports. Play video games. Do puzzles. Do gardening. Write a story. Listen to music. Dance. Workout. Read. Do whatever you feel could rejuvenate your worn out self. Even the lamest activity is acceptable like waxing your eyebrows and legs or dyeing your hair or trimming your nails. Whatever it is, once you are done with it, it should give you the feeling of a better self-worth.
How many hours out of 24 hours do you sleep? 2, 3, 4, 5, 6? I would not even attempt to go to 7 or 8.
That's the reality for most people who are working sometimes two jobs just to get by. How sad! Even those that have no double jobs still could not afford an 8-hour sleep because our world is so bombarded with distractions. We try to make life easy by making mobile gadgets that we can carry around so that wherever we are we can work and play.
Sadly the same convenience, is robbing us of our precious time because we'd rather chat online, play video games, send text messages endlessly, exchange photos, watch videos, promote our social networking web pages, and simply immerse into an infinite amount of digital activities that sends our resting hours down the drain.
There are other reasons why we may not get the sleep that is required of us and each varies depending on our lifestyle. What I'm stating here is simply the obvious considering how digitize our world is.
So what are you supposed to do? Define your schedule and stick to it.
Think of sleep as an investment for your general well-being. Well rested people are more focused, more youthful, happier, more efficient, healthier and live longer.
Sleep should be viewed as a way of cleaning up your body's directories, eliminating spywares, checking for and eliminating viruses, memory optimization and an overall system performance-boosting task. Yes it is a task. You have to comply with it in order to have a properly running system with a more efficient and productive up time. And when inevitable system failure comes your way, you have the option for graceful degradation.
Of all bodily functions sleep is of paramount importance. In fact you can go hungry for weeks and still live but without sleep, a week is too long for you to stay breathing.
How to promote sleep?
If you have to work on your computer, start working early and set a time limit. Once the limit is reached, be ready to leave your desk at all costs. You can connect your devices to an electronic timer that will shut off your electrical supply at a certain time. For some devices that run on batteries, shut off the electrical supply a few hours earlier to make sure you run out of juice in time.
You do not only get to sleep early but you also save on electricity and help in making this world a greener place to live.
You can also take a little dose of Valerian or some melatonin to help you go to sleep easy. And remember a heavy stomach stops you from going to sleep so always make sure that you don't eat anything heavy an hour before sleep.
Perhaps the most important step to promoting sleep is to set a more inviting atmosphere for you to sleep. So make sure that your bedroom has no TV; it is clutter-free; has low lighting; has a nice comfortable area for you to lay down accessorized with cuddly pillows and a nice warm blanket. And yes, it will help if you leave your electronic gadgets out of your bedroom.
Now that you've reached this part, check out the time. Is it time for you to go to bed yet?
- Eat healthy
I couldn't stress enough how important it is to eat healthy. How does eating relate to stress?
Some food that we ingest create a certain chemical imbalance in our brain that can alter our mood. Our mood is a major factor that shapes how we handle stress and how we attack the demons inside of us and around us on a daily basis. In general, eating a well-balanced and healthy meal enriches your body's resources of the vital nutrients so your body can function well. If you eat healthy, your body stay healthy.
Remember, a healthy mind emanates from a healthy body. And a healthy mind is your first defense against stress.
- Exercise
Exercise is essential in combating stress because it gives you a good sense of well-being every time. After exercising, you always feel good and rejuvenated. On the other hand, exercise raises your heart rate and helps circulate blood around your body. Exercise, together with a balanced diet promotes a healthier circulatory system. A healthy circulatory system supplies enough blood and oxygen to your brain which affects your state of mind and in turn affects your mood and your response to stress.
- Take some time alone
It is important for you to withdraw yourself from the outside world and just focus on your own self every once in a while. Devote a few minutes for you to retreat to that one little corner and set your focus on your self and your self alone.
If you liken it to war, this is the time for you to withdraw, lay low, assess the enemy, get more ammunition, and gear up for the next battle.
Spend this time to compliment yourself about the battles you've won, your milestones, your achievements and your resolve.
Take this time to build your inner sanctuary of fulfillment, confidence, and your personal shield from emotional vulnerabilities.
Use this time to summon your inner strength and assess and accept your weaknesses.
Take this opportunity to foster a better self-worth. If you practice this habit you will not only be stress-free but you will always be ready to face even the worst crisis that are yet to come your way.
- Practice yoga and pilates
Yoga dwells on channeling your energy to promote a healthy body and pilates focuses on stretching the body for a healthier physique, easing tension and stiffness from your body. Both are equally helpful in promoting a healthier well-being. In fact, yoga and pilates are considered the most effective stress-busting activities.
- Take a vacation
When all else fails, run away from the source of stress. Take a vacation somewhere. This gives you your much needed break from your responsibilities at work and from your domestic obligations. A change of environment and a change of pace is mostly a good change especially if you get to see the beautiful side of this world and realize the other things in life that matter. Once you get back from a getaway, you'll have a renewed outlook in life. Your self will be equipped with better oiled gears to combat the daily grind of life.
