Being an adult carries with it so much responsibility; it’s sometimes unfathomable how others are able to keep it together. From work to children, to family and other social responsibilities, the checklist becomes never-ending for the average 30+-year-old. It’s become even more challenging now that the world is hyperconnected and notifications abound left and right.
But there are some simple and effective ways to manage stress. These may sound simple but sometimes we just need a reminder of how easy it can be to make changes that help to manage our stress levels.
Here are some suggestions:
Get enough sleep
This cannot be stressed enough. Sleep is one of the top mood-predictors for your life and the amount and quality that you get spells how well you will be able to adapt to whatever life throws at you during the day. The quality of sleep you get actually measures your resilience as you face challenges in your waking life.
Do what you can to ensure that you get a good night’s rest. Sleep at a certain time; stop working early so that you can give your brain ample time to slow down; ensure the quality of your sleep by making sure your environment is clean, quiet, dark, and peaceful. Do everything you can to make sure you get enough sleep.
Practise meditation
Life will not slow nor quiet down magically; you have to be able to carve out your own time to be still and reflect. These moments are good checkpoints for you to assess if your routines are still healthy, if what you’re doing still contributes to your overall happiness, and if you are taking care of yourself in a holistic manner.
Have a good diet and get enough exercise
The food that you eat also affects how you feel. Do you really need to drink three coffees every day? Maybe some natural teas could be a better alternative. Will you be able to get rid of eating junk and other things that are not contributing to your physiological and mental health? Try greens or other vegetables when you can.
Are you moving around enough? You can try incorporating more physical activity by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking and/or biking to work instead of taking a car. Physical activity also releases endorphins into your bloodstream, which is a good mood inducer.
Put first things first
You may be stressed out because you are not being wise about managing your workload. Are you putting the most important things at the forefront, or are you mindlessly answering every single notification that rings into your phone?
Make sure you are working on important projects first. Take some time to be with your family and check in on them – ask how they are doing in school, at work, and how they are in general. If you want to gain peace of mind that your partner and children will be taken care of in the event of your untimely death, make sure to invest in Allstate life insurance, which provides protection for you and your family.
It has become increasingly vital to incorporate pauses and self-management in our day-to-day routine, in order to keep our sanity and to keep functioning in the most efficient and most effective ways. Hopefully, these tips will help you become more attuned to yourself and to minimise your daily stressors.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg.
