Many people have found everyday strategies for managing stress that work really well for them. Others continue to struggle to find stress management strategies. It is important to manage stress, or it builds up with the potential of becoming chronic stress.
Potential strategies:
- take a break: this may seem obvious, but it doesn't always come to mind right away.
- cook a comfort meal: cooking, if you like doing it, is a good way to relieve stress and eating is always a mood-lifter. Bonus points if you can make it a healthy meal!
- watch a compilation of America's Funniest Home Videos: this might not necessarily reduce your stress, but it will put you in a better mood and that's something.
- drive around with nowhere to go: don't get completely lost, but let yourself wander without having to reach a destination.
- pick up a piece of paper, and write: writing down what is stressing you out and seeing it on paper can help you work through the stress. It also feels good to rip it up and throw it away once you resolve your stress:)
- go to the gym or go for a run outside: exercising reduces the body's stress hormone levels and stimulates endorphins which boost your mood! Exercising also tends to improve your concentration and drive.
- breathing exercises! Just spending a few moments focused on your breathing can take some things off your mind.
- move to a coffee shop or your local library: if you're working on something you have to keep working on, just change your location. Switching up your environment can change your mindset and release some tension from the work you're doing.
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