Six Simple Ways to Reduce Your Stress Levels
Posted: August 20, 2012
Life can be stressful at times. Here are a few simple tips to help reduce your stress.
Life can be stressful at times. Here are a few simple tips to help reduce your stress.
Do you ever feel stressed? It’s a silly question, I know! Modern life brings so many worries and anxieties that you probably feel stressed at least occasionally … and perhaps a lot more often than that.
Whether you’re facing a demanding boss, a difficult colleague, a mountain of debt, a rebellious teen, or a computer that’s crashed and taken all your files with it, stress often seems like an inevitable part of modern life.
For most of us, it’s not a realistic prospect to avoid stressful situations altogether. Instead, we need to find ways to reduce our stress levels on a day-by-day basis, so that we’re better equipped to cope with the inevitable bumps along our path through life.
#1: Take a Few Deep Breaths
Don’t ignore this because you think it’s too simple. Sitting quietly and taking a few slow, deep breaths can help to reduce stress instantly. (Just try it next time you’re feeling worried or annoyed, and you’ll see how effective it is.)
You might also like to deliberately set aside time in your day to concentrate on your breathing – this is a form of meditation that many people use, and find helpful in reducing stress.
#2: Ask “Will This Matter in a Year?”
If something stresses you out, it can be tough to see whether or not it’s really important in your life. A mini-disaster like losing an important document, or locking yourself out of the house, or getting an angry phone call from a client can feel like a true crisis.
Most things, though, will fade in importance after just a few days or weeks. In a year’s time, will these mini-disasters have any impact on your life? Almost certainly not. By reminding yourself that “this too will pass,” you can avoid some of the anxiety associated with stressful events.
#3: Accept Help from Other People
If you’re struggling under a mountain of work in the office, or battling against never-ending chores at home, it might be time to get some help. Often, other people will be all too willing to lend a hand – you just need to ask them, or even accept the offers they’ve already made. Some people worry that asking for help makes them look weak. The truth is that none of us can achieve great things alone: we all need some help along the way. By allowing others to help you, you give them the chance to grow too.
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