Stress management is an important skill for anyone to build. As much as we might like ot avoid unnecessary stress, sometimes it simply isn’t possible. When you have to deal with the burden of stress, learning how to let it go, mitigate it, or manage it can make sure that it doesn’t ruin the rest of your day or even lead to burnout eventually. However, if you’re having a hard time letting go of stress, simply sitting and relaxing might not be enough. You need some real strategies to shake it off.
Try Some Simple Breathing Exercises
One of the better wellness habits you can pick up is the practice of breathing exercises. Stress isn’t just a mental load; it’s a physical sensation, as well, and sometimes, hijacking your physical reaction is the best way to get a mental reset, as well. To that end, starting with your breathing is one of the best ways to go. Slow breathing exercises, such as inhaling for four seconds then exhaling for six seconds, directly affect the nervous system, lowering your heart rate and reducing tension in your muscles, which can also help slow your thoughts down. You don’t typically need long sessions; even two minutes can be effective, making it a good tool to have when stress feels like it’s getting on top of you in the moment.
Write It Out
Stress can often build up because our thoughts are racing around our heads, recurring in loops without having an outlet. For those thoughts that you don’t want to voice out, journaling can give you somewhere to help them land. It’s not about writing elegant passages about your emotions or embellishing the events; it’s about getting your mental load down on paper. Write down what’s bothering you, what you’re afraid of, or even the troubling thoughts you’re dealing with. Writing helps to externalize your thoughts so that they don’t feel quite as intense in your own mind, and you don’t feel the compulsion to mentally rehearse them time and time again. It can sometimes be a little emotionally difficult, but it’s often very cathartic, as well.
Move Your Body
While it might sound like a simplistic solution, the truth is that releasing your physical stress is a highly effective way to release your mental stress, as well. You don’t have to engage in bouts of intense exercise;e even walking, stretching, or doing a few yoga poses can help you reset your body. This can help you flush out stress hormones like stress and adrenaline while increasing your production of endorphins, chemicals that can lighten your mood. It also forces the mind to focus on the body, which can stop it from ruminating on those thoughts that might not have a ready outlet.
Enjoy A Calm, Distracting Game
Play has an important role in managing our moods, no matter what age we are. It can focus your attention elsewhere, raise your mood, and even help break out of bad thought cycles with a sense of accomplishment. Even simple games that can be played anywhere on your phone, like FreeCell, can work just fine. In fact, low-stimulation games with familiar rules and a slower pace can be perfect if you feel like you’re too wound up to focus on anything that might be on the more engaging side. This kind of distraction can help give your nervous system a rest, while gently occupying your mind. It can act as a mental reset button, making it easier to engage with some of the other strategies mentioned here.