If you're stressed, whether by your job or something more personal, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause.
Once you have identified the cause of your stress, try these 10 stress-busting suggestions
- Be active
Exercise won't make your stress disappear, but it can reduce some of the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly.
2. Connect with people
A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.
The activities we do with friends can help us relax and relieve stress. Talking things through with a friend may also help you find solutions to your problems
3. Have some "me time"
Many of us work long hours, meaning we often don't spend enough time doing things we really enjoy. You could try setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality "me time" away from work.
4. Challenge yourself
Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, can help build confidence. This may help you deal with stress.
5. Avoid unhealthy habits
Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. They might provide temporary relief, but in the long term, these crutches won't solve your problems. They'll just create new ones.
6. Help other people
Evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, often become more resilient. If you don't have time to volunteer, try to do someone a favour every day.
7. Work smarter, not harder
Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that'll make a real difference.
8. Try to be positive
Look for the positives in life, and things for which you're grateful. Try writing down 3 things that went well, or for which you're grateful, at the end of every day.
9. Take control
That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing. The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.
10. Accept the things you can't change
Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.
Adapted from:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/
