[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n this modern and busy life, it is very difficult to maintain a balance between work and life. Due to this, stress is becoming an integral part of our life. Here I am discussing various ways to reduce stress:
1. Prioritize your Work, Plan Properly
- It is very important to make your to-do list. Plan your jobs well in advance.
- Effective planning and prioritizing the work reduces stress and anxiety.
- Proper planning allows you to concentrate on one work at a time.
- Multitasking people are not able to concentrate on one thing and waste their time and energy.
- Planning your time gives you the opportunity to relax.
- In that free time, listen to your favorite music, read a novel or do sketching.
- Don’t bring your office work to home. Bringing work to home will cause unnecessary stress.
- If you are working from home, then fix the working hours. It is required to reduce your stress levels.
- Learn to say no if you are busy and will not be able to take the job in hand.
2. Have a Stress-free Environment and Meet New People
- Whether you are at your home or office, make the environment stress-free.
- Make your environment calm and happy.
- At home, you can add more plants.
- At the workplace, you can keep your favorite things like art pieces or photographs.
- Work in a well- lit area with proper ventilation.
- A human being is a social animal. Meet with new people.
- Get more outdoor space by doing lunch on the terrace of your office.
- Meeting with new people improves your social skills. It helps to reduce your stress.
- Planning to write an article or painting the kitchen? You must calculate double the time required to complete the job. If writing an article takes 30 minutes, plan it for 1 hour. In this way, you will not end yourself in stress.
- As phones, tablets, and laptops have made our life easy yet busy. Don’t stress yourself if you have given a late response to an email. Don’t punish yourself on reaching 2 minutes late for an office meeting. We understand that you are ambitious and want to achieve your dreams. Remember, this must not be done at the cost of your health!
3. Go for a Short Walk or Trip
- Science says that when things are getting stressful, go for a walk. Taking a short break of 5- 10 minutes to clear your mind.
- This short walk gives you an opportunity to look things from different perspective.
- Fresh air improves your mood and increases blood circulation.
- It lowers down your increased heart rate and blood pressure.
- Take the annual vacations from your office. It will freshen up your mind, body, and soul.
- It is not possible to beat the stress during weekends.
- Plan for a long holiday and spent time with your family and friends.
- Plan a romantic date with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Getting out and having fun helps to reduce stress from your busy life.
4. Exercise, Breathe and Meditate
- Breathing: Practice deep breathing. It reduces anxiety, stress and blood pressure. When you are feeling stressed, take ten deep breaths. Breathe from your belly. Breathing will calm your body. You will start feeling relaxed.
- Exercise: No matter how busy you are, take time out for exercise on a regular basis. It is the most effective treatment of stress. It reduces stress, fatigue and improves concentration. Exercise 20-30 minutes daily in the morning for a stress -free life. Exercise makes your body light and energized. You are prepared to handle difficult situations in a better way.
- Meditate: Stress is a part of our everyday life. We can’t avoid it but can reduce it. Meditation is a relaxation technique that is very important for your body and mind.
5. Eat Well, Sleep Well and Laugh
- Eat right: Food affects the stress levels. Foods like fast food, cheese, butter, sugar, meat, tea, coffee and soft drinks increase stress. Don’t take them in excess. Foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins reduce stress. Include fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, fiber and smoothies in your diet. Never avoid your meals irrespective of how busy you are.
- Sleep well: A good night sound sleep of 8 hours is very important. It helps to reduce your stress. Poor sleep leads to increase in stress hormones.
- Laugh: Laughter is the best medicine to reduce stress. It reduces stress hormones. Involve in your favorite pastime activities like gardening. Turn your lawn into a garden bed. To make the garden bed, you need to cut the sod. You must be assuming how to cut sod? You can dig, till or apply herbicides.
I have implemented these methods in my life. I can maintain a balance in my work and life. I hope that you are also able to reduce stress from your busy life.
