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I don’t mind admitting that I am naturally prone to stress and anxiety. It’s something I battle nearly everyday, and have since I was a teen. Stress WILL happen, but how I react to stress makes all the difference in how well I feel, how much energy I have, and how productive I am with my time.
Managing stress is about taking charge – of your attitude, your health, your time. I checked with some of my friends online to see how they manage and reduce stress for a few additional ideas. Not every technique works on every person or in every situation, so it’s important to have an arsenal of stress management tricks up your sleeve.
Tips to Reduce Stress:
1 – CUT BACK ON COMMITMENTS – One of the first steps to reducing ongoing stress is to cut out the things that regularly induce stress. Jenn at ComebackMomma said, “I was overcommitted with two book clubs and membership in a local social club. Things like this were causing me more stress than joy and taking me away from evening family time. I decided to take a step back from these activities. I’ve learned that being a home body brings me peace. I used to be hard on myself and try to push myself to get out.”
2 – MEDITATE – Whether it’s listening to calming music or ocean sounds, a yoga class, or 15 minutes of meditation, the calming benefits of taking the time to meditate will set you on the right path. Meditation not only clears the mind, but it can lower blood pressure and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress.
Lee from Couple Dumb said, “I meditate every morning before my cup of coffee and right after my shower. I keep this routine despite everything.”
Have you ever heard of Reiki? Kadi from Our Seven Seeds said “I got my degree in reiki so that I can practice it on myself and my family to relieve stress.”
Amy from Freaky Perfect likes doing yoga: “It leads to an overall healthier lifestyle for me. With a regular yoga practice, meditation, and prayer, life just flows along much more smoothly in general. For temporary relief, a funny movie or night out always does the trick.”
3 – LAUGH – Take Amy’s advice and head out to a funny movie. I love to laugh, but probably don’t do it often enough. Laughing releases endorphins that improve mood and decrease levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which are stress-causing hormones. Try it – start laughing and trick your body into thinking you’re happy and carefree. It works!
Rajean from Rajean Blomquist agreed that laughter is the best medicine for stress, “My game plan include reading anything by Erma Bombeck, watching Seinfeld reruns, anything with Steve Martin or Will Ferrell, and YouTube videos of SNL clips, as well as going to a card shop to read funny cards (and stock up I also have two ‘Giggles’ Pinterest boards, one is rated PG, the other R. Seems to do the trick.”
4 – EXERCISE – Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending an hour at the gym. A simple short walk around the block or up and down the stairs – or even standing to stretch at your desk – can offer immediate stress relief. Exercise (yes, even a few minutes of movement) releases endorphins and can improve your mood almost immediately.
Catherine from Evolving Motherhood said, “I hit the pavement- or the treadmill- and run the stress right out of my life. If a run doesn’t wipe the stress away at least it gives me time to think things through, organize my thoughts and plan out a course of action to tackle stressful times.”
Jessica from Found the Marbles agreed, “When I need to figure things out, taking a walk, going for a run, taking a spin class or hitting the treadmill is the best way to clear my head.” She went on to say (and this leads me to the next tip), “When I just need to take the edge off, a night out with my girlfriends always does the trick!”
5 – DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY – Whether it’s getting lost inside a good book, taking a half hour break to watch your favorite sitcom or having a night out with some girlfriends, do something that you enjoy. Sometimes even the knowledge that you have something fun planned for the end of the day or the end of the week is enough to feel some relief from stress that’s getting you down.
6 – REST AND RELAXATION (AND A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP) – I often think of stress as something that keeps me from getting the sleep I need, but it’s probably more often the other way around. My lack of adequate sleep is a key cause of stress. When I get a solid 8 hours of sleep at night, I feel less stressed the next day, period.
Robin from Honey Badger Mom said, “I walk away, burrow under my blankets, and take a quick nap. Sleeping helps your brain sort out information and often I’ll wake up with a game plan or having seen an obvious solution. If nothing else, I’m better rested and more able to face the music.”
7 – WRITE IT DOWN – Whether or not you consider yourself a writer, there is something therapeutic about writing down your feelings. Don’t want anyone to know what you’re thinking? Tear up the paper after you’ve written down your thoughts and no one will ever know…but YOU will feel better. Promise.
8 – EAT HEALTHY FOODS – When I’m stressed, I tend to reach for snacks and junk food, which ends up making me feel worse. Eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is always a good choice, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress – so grab some fish high in omega-3 next time you’re feeling stressed. Ready for a tuna fish sandwich, anyone?
9 – PET THERAPY – Yes, bonding with a pet can reduce stress! Felissa from Two Little Cavaliers said, “This comes as no surprise to those of us with dogs. We already know from personal experience that our dogs help us lead more active, social, and stress free lives. We know that we are calmer when our dogs are sleeping at our feet while we work or curled up on the couch next to us while we relax.” She also quoted Dr. Glenn N. Levine of the America Heart Association who said, “People who own dogs certainly have more reason to get outside and take walks, and studies show that most owners form such close bonds with their pets that being in their presence blunts the owners’ reactions to stress and lowers their heart rate.”
I had to laugh when Jenn from The Rebel Chick said, “‘When life hands you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry wall,’ In my case, that’s a fluffy dog. {why do you think I have three fluffy dogs?!}.”
10 – TALK TO A FRIEND – In my post about DIY mental health tips, I mentioned, “Fostering positive, uplifting relationships is one of the best ways to enrich your mental health. Not only do good friends lift you up, but they can also help relieve the negative pressures and stresses you would otherwise keep bottled up.” Don’t worry if your local friends are busy – I’ve reached out to friends through text, phone, and Facebook (groups and messages) and felt immediate relief. If necessary, reach out to a therapist.
If all else fails, Hakuna Matata!
What do you do to relieve stress? Share your best tips in the comments below!
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I have found that the walking definitely helps! And I feel better when I do some deep stretches. All of these tips are amazing. Thanks for sharing them :)
I SO needed this post! It’s so easy for me to take on too much and then be stressed and not enjoy things I usually love doing.
With so much stress these days is always good advice or tips you can learn to reduce this evil in our daily lives thanks!
Great information here tip number nine works for me everyday love my pets.
Laughing has always been my family’s best way to combat stress. Love the printable!!
Those are all great tips! I love to relieve stress by exercising!
You Tube is great for finding funny videos, isn’t it? :)
Laughing does help. I find if I’m feeling down that YouTube videos make me giggle and feel better.