Modern life is one of unparalleled convenience and efficiency but, in some ways, this can be a double-edged sword. Rather than performing a few key tasks in a day, we can instead fit in a great many, and, while this is great for accomplishing goals, it can also add considerably more potential avenues of stress.
In order to combat this, we need to first understand the inevitability of this situation, and where our own personal circumstances might lead us. While it is true that a few lucky people could carry on heavy schedules for years before reaching a breaking point, most of us are not nearly as fortunate.
This doesn’t make you lazy, nor is it something you should feel guilty about. We are all different, and our different biology makes us susceptible to different stressors at different rates. Sometimes, a single event might bring you down, for example, while a workmate makes it through the same event without even slowing. This is normal human variation, and we need to come to terms with that.
Understand what it is that builds stress for you, and when you might experience it. From there, consider what it is that helps you to relax, and build a plan where that as an opportunity is as open as possible.
While there are certainly exercises which can be used to relax, in general terms, the very best methods will be personalised. Because of this, you should have a plan custom made for your needs, as well as backup plans if the first is dependent on uncontrollable or unpredictable variables.
Fortunately, many activities can be both relaxing and stimulating. If you are a fan of such activities, this would be a good start to take some steam off, while keeping your mind alert enough until longer rest periods become available.
For example, many of us are fans of online casino games, which are one of the stronger combinations of these relaxation and activation components. As they offer sportsbook, poker and casino games, websites like Redbet give players a chance to be as social or solitary as they want, and as gaming hubs, they make connecting these opportunities simple.
Of course, others would prefer something a little more classic, like reading in bed, going for a walk, or just catching up on television shows. If this is the case for you, then jump right in and, again, remember to not feel guilty for taking a little time for yourself.
We all have responsibilities, and while we can’t afford to ignore these, we need to acknowledge that too much stress can actively interfere with our ability to address these in the manner they require and deserve.
Taking time to yourself and relaxing is not a luxury as some might have you believe; it is more of a necessity which many of us simply do not adequately attain. Understand this, both for yourself and for others, and your chances for improved mental health outcomes will be all the better for it.
Wendy Whitehead worked as a teaching assistant at two special needs schools in London before embarking on a different career as a marketing consultant.
