Stress Relief Strategies

Become Proactive rather than Reactive

If you’re anything like me, you get stressed from time to time. Stress is not necessarily a bad thing but prolonged periods of high stress can have negative effects on our mood, immune system and sleep, among other things. It is important to have at least one thing we can do to take our mind off things and have some ‘me time.’ I have listed a number of strategies I have found effective both for myself and others that can help relieve some stress. Strategies such as reading, playing sport or going for a walk. Try them out and find what works best for you.

Exercise

A personal trainer recommending exercise? What’s new? Exercise to relieve stress does not have to be an intense 60-minute workout. It could simply be going for a walk, playing some basketball with friends or going for a swim. Getting active can be a great way to bring you into the present moment as well as unleash any stress/anger/sadness you have within. A part of this can be getting some fresh air, going for a walk along the beach, in a forest or a walk anywhere outside.

Massage

Massage can be another great stress reliever and help you feel what is going on in your body, where some tight spots may be or where you are holding on to your stress. Massage can be in the form of self-massage, using a foam roller, spikey ball or any other tool. Alternatively, it can be a massage from someone else, whether a partner, day spa or remedial masseuse.

Have a Break

Taking some time out from your work just for 5 minutes can help you maintain a clear mind. If it is possible within your study/workplace, find some time every hour or couple of hours to get up, stretch your legs, do some squats, swing your arms or simply lay down. This can help you refocus and keep you able to work with less stress for longer.

See A Friend

Catching up with a friend can be a great way to de-stress, whether that is because you go outside and get some fresh air, discuss what is on your mind or enjoy the really good food that the café you are at produces. Seeing a friend is a great way to de-stress as I often find when discussing life situations, you will find you are not alone in what you are going through.

Reading

For some, reading is a great way to take our minds off all that is going on and allows us to focus on the book at hand, or the audiobook or kindle or however you choose to do your reading.

Change of Scenery

Simply changing your environment for a little bit, getting out of the office, study room or house can be a great way to detach from whatever we are dealing with. Sometimes we can subconsciously attach emotions with environments, the beach is my happy place, being at work I feel stressed to the limits, Mt. Lofty is my relaxation space. Change your environment, whether that is going for a drive through the hills, a walk along the beach or going on a holiday to Hawaii. It can often serve as a refresher and allow us to refocus when re-entering our work or study space.

Deep Breathing

Focussing on your breathing is a great way to focus on the present moment and feel your body. At times of high stress, we often become heavy chest breathers, becoming tense through our shoulders and neck. Taking some deep breaths can allow us to focus on what we are feeling and realise that we may be holding some tension. I call this diaphragmatic breathing and often refer to its importance with regards to ‘core bracing’ but also its importance of reducing stress and blood pressure levels as well. The beauty of breathing is we have to do it anyway and we can do it anywhere, anytime. So, we may as well make use of it. When breathing in, inhale through your nose and aim to breath deep into your belly, hold it for a moment and then exhale through your mouth. Only breath in again when you feel necessary and repeat as many times as you like. When doing this, try to feel the tension in your body and relax those points, tensing the muscle and relaxing can help greatly for this.

Hobbies/Interests

There is a multitude of things you can to do de-stress that are not on this list. Everyone has different hobbies or interests, for you it may be painting, creating videos, bird watching, writing or anything else. For me it is playing and creating music on the drums, bass guitar and acoustic guitar (as well as exercise guys, I do that too).

All these points have one thing in common. They allow us to be fully present in what we are doing, whether it is reading, exercising, breathing or getting a massage. This to me is what the crux of meditation is, drawing your attention to the present moment. Have you ever noticed that when you are doing something you enjoy, whether it is listening to music, eating a meal out, reading or playing music, that time can fly by without us realising? That is because we aren’t focussed on when our next document is due or the fact that Nancy said this about you, we are purely focussed on the task at hand.

To Sum it Up

So next time you are noticing yourself becoming a little more stressed or noticing little things piling up. Pick one or more of the above suggestions and give them a go. Find what works for you and find a way to fit it into your lifestyle. Going for a 30-minute walk after your shift, seeing a friend on Fridays in your lunch break or focussing on your breathing for five breaths every hour. Stress is natural and will happen to us all, it is how we grow and develop, without stress we would stay stagnant, but be aware of times when it is becoming too much. These are the times to employ one or more of the aforementioned strategies.