Dealing with stress: 10 ways to stay sane

Stress is something that everyone deals with, including children.The thing that sets people apart isn’t what they face, it’s how they handle it.

Have you ever been stressed to a point you almost felt you were losing your mind? If it happens again, then use the tips below to help you stay sane.

Act Happy

Laugh – often, even if you don’t feel like it. Find someone who loves to joke with you and activate your funny bone. Laughter not only releases endorphins, but it also boosts your immune system which results in feeling better.

Control Your Time

Sit down at the beginning of the week and make a priority list: what needs to be done first and what can’t wait until you have more time? When you feel out of control with your schedule and workload, your stress magnifies. Stay focused and you’re more likely to stay calm. Be ready for any sudden changes that may happen, things never go 100 percent perfectly.

Get Physical

One of the fastest ways to release stress is to do something physical. Take a short, brisk walk or a few laps in the pool, put in your favorite workout video or go work in the garden. Not only is exercise an immediate outlet for stress, it’s good for your body, helps you sleep and gives you time to clear your mind.

Pick Your Battles

This applies to work, friends, family and your kids or spouse. Not everything deserves a reaction from you, so if you can avoid difficult conversations or triggers, please do so.

Learn to Say No

This is probably one of the hardest things for most people to do. There’s no need to answer right at that moment. Take time  to consider your schedule and your stress level before giving out an assertive answer. Unless it is a family emergency or something that only you can handle –then do not feel the pressure to do what does not feel right.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Choose who you socialize with carefully and make sure you have people around who will uplift you instead of dragging you down to their own bad moods or complaints. Avoid places where you know negativity is the usual.

Learn How to Calm Your Body

Just relaxing your body can have a noticeable effect on the state of your mind. When you feel your stress level peaking – step away from the situation, relax your arms, roll your shoulders and breathe deeply and slowly.

Photo by Jared Rice / Unsplash

Eat Healthier

Your body is a finely-tuned machine that runs on food for fuel. If you put cheap fuel in that machine – you’re going to have problems. Eating healthy cleans your body of toxins, raises your energy level, helps you sleep better, replenishes your body with vitamins and nutrients that support your mind. Being hungry is a quick track to a bad mood so avoid skipping meals.

Take Time to Count The GOOD Things in Your Life

Take time each day to think of all the positive things in your life. Start with the big things and work down to the smaller. Before you know it – your ‘good’ list will be longer than your ‘bad’ list. A great tip is to have a gratitude journal where you list all the things that you are grateful for that day and it will instantly boost your mood.

Get Out of the House

If you can get away for an afternoon to take  a walk, try a massage or even browse an aromatherapy store, it will do you a great deal of good. The most important thing is to remove yourself from where the stress is generated.

Set small, daily goals

Put the lifelong bucket list in a drawer. Instead, make a one-item goal list each morning. Instead of drowning yourself in goals that won’t come to fruition for months or years – give yourself something to look forward to each and every day. If you have an important long term goal – break it up into steps. When you can cross off your task each day you’ll feel more accomplished and less stressed and before you know it – all your steps will be done and you won’t feel crushed in the process.

Feature photo: unsplash