We all know how simple stress can eat our whole day, even our supposed good night of sleep. Stress discriminates no one. It can hit everyone- children, teenagers, and most especially the adults. Psychology, however, suggests that stress can also be beneficial to each one of us. “Working effectively with stress requires taking control of our responsibility and our attitude,” according to psychologist Alicia H. Clark, PsyD. Even with the adverse effects, it brings us, experiencing stress also helps us to develop proper reactions to threatening situations.
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As a definition, stress means that reaction to a situation which we find uncomfortable, distressing, or naturally not favorable to us because such makes us threatened and anxious. True enough, if not adequately addressed, it can bring about adverse effects on our physical, emotional, and mental well-being in the long-run.
Below is the list of these small things that we can do to cope with stress every single day:
Add Healthy Food To Your Meals
Eat on time, and never try skipping meals because an empty stomach won’t help. Once you get hungry, go and buy or have something that will fill your empty stomach. However, make sure that the food you eat is healthy. Since stress has something to do with health, your diet must cooperate as well to keep you active and alive.
All the food we eat has an impact not only on our physique but also on our mental well-being. Most of the time, our meals are composed of food that is high in bad cholesterol, fats, and carbs that can aggravate our stress levels. Doctors have this diet for stress management, which composes of food that boosts levels of serotonin, also known as the “happy and calming chemical” of the brain.
Get Moving
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It does not mean a full-blast exercise or tiring workout sessions that eat your schedule. A simple walk in the neighborhood or a ten-minute walk or jog on the treadmill will do the work. It is one of the simplest ways to un-stuck those tight joints that you may have from sitting in your office the whole day. It will also allow you to breathe fresher air (if you opt to have a walk or jog outside) and to clear your view from the clutter of piles of documents that shouts work and stress.
Read Inspirational Quotes
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Better yet, start your day by reading one or a couple of inspirational quotes from social media or the internet in general. Most people are positively benefitted by reading motivational stories as it becomes their guide on their everyday lives. One quote a day will be your mind’s reason to move forward. An inspirational or motivational quote also helps in preventing negativities that trigger stress before we know it.
Learn To Pause For A While And Take A Break
Working hard does not mean working for eight hours without a break. Know when enough is enough for the day. Allocate time to stand up, crack those joints, flex a little, walk, and buy some refreshments, and connect with others. Do any of these when you think whatever it is that you are doing are already overloading.
Have Someone To Tell Your Day’s Activities To
Sometimes, the secret is to connect with others. Share how your day went with your best friends or any members of the family. This work wonders because we feel like we need someone to side with us and share our sentiments, especially with our problems. Most of the time, we need someone to make us laugh and a good friend, more often than not, bears this responsibility. “When we are caring for someone or something, we do the things that support or advance the best interests of the person or thing that we care about,” said clinical psychologist Chad LeJeune, Ph.D.
However, it is essential that we keep in mind that these people themselves will not fix our stress problems for us. You may have their support, but the initiative to de-stress must also come within you.
Reflect
As soon as you find time to relax a little, think of what you have done so far. Trace the source of stress and ask yourself how to avoid it in the future, possibly. Rate your work and the way you handle your problems that day.
Create a balanced schedule in mind and the next small steps you have to undertake towards your goal. Most of the time, our stress comes from the unfinished task that we feel we cannot do before the deadline. Look at the big picture for inspiration but don’t forget the small steps you have to overcome first.
Stress, no matter how simple or small it is should not be taken lightly. Learn the power of de-stressing even at these minor instances. We may not know it, but stress management does not need complicated stuff to be successful. “Stress management starts by understanding how your body responds to stress,” according to John M. Grohol, Psy.D. It starts in the little things that each of us can do anytime.