Hey everyone! Today is #nationalstressawarenessday so I wanted to talk to you about some of the ways you can help destress, including planning!

I’d like to start off by saying everyone gets stressed sometimes. I get stressed a lot, probably way too easily. But because of that I’ve had to find ways that help me destress and feel like I’ve got everything under control.

1. Make a to-do list: To-do list is the first thing I go to to help keep my stress levels down. Having one all the time keeps me from having to worry about forgetting things and knowing when I am completely free to destress. On especially busy days or weeks, like this one, I have my regular daily/weekly Erin Condren to-do lists and then an extra one I write down on an extra notepad just one long list. I like doing this so I have everything in one place. I see that everything is on one page and just have one go to, simplified, stripped down place to work on getting done.

2. Workout: You’ve more than likely heard this before, but getting out and exercising really does help destress and control your worries. I like to go for run, especially now that it’s not as hot. Running is a great time for me to work out any worries or thoughts I have going through my head. Usually if I’m stressed I tend to think about the same thing over and over and when I run I have the time to work through those things and resolve them so I’m not thinking about them as much. Plus endorphins and all that good stuff also comes along with exercising. Right now I’ve been struggling to make time to run with the amount of stuff I have to do, but I’ve gotten up a little earlier some mornings because I really do enjoy doing. (Also, I just completed the C25K app and am about to start the 10k one. It’s super great and has really helped me get in to running. It’s definitely worth a try.)

3. Read a book or watch TV: I like to do both of these. A lot of people don’t recommend watching TV but I think it’s a nice way to just give your brain a break while you’re eating or doing small chores. I’ve been watching YouTube videos more than shows because they’re shorter and once it’s done I can just click off and I haven’t wasted too much time or gotten sucked in to the next episode. Reading is what really makes me feel relaxed though. I don’t go through my phone or worry about other things going on, it’s just me and my book. It’s a great way to escape.

4. Clean: I know this one doesn’t really sound like it would help with stress to most people, but for me once I have a clean space and am not worried about all the other household chores that need to get done I can really focus. Usually cleaning up my desk, starting the dishes, or putting in a load of laundry doesn’t take that long and once I do that I start to feel productive since I’ve already accomplished something. Make sure you aren’t using cleaning as a form of procrastination though! Procrastinating will only add to the stress when you realize you have less time to do everything you need to. Just get it done and then you can really enjoy the free time you have.

 

5. Pamper yourself: I like to just do something small when I’m in the middle of stressing out, but then once I’ve gotten everything done or the event I’m worried about has passed I make sure to spend some time taking care of myself. I actually plan on doing it this Saturday! I like to sleep in a little, make a nice breakfast and coffee, read my book, go for a run, take a bath and read, paint my nails, and treat myself to a special dessert. It’s important to give your mind and body a break and chance to recover and that’s really what this is one is about. It lets me feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next week, to-do, or event.

6. Journal: Journaling is another great way I like to work my thoughts out. I can sit and just ramble and vent without feeling like I’m bothering anyone or saying something that I shouldn’t. I always feel very grown up writing in a nice notebook with a fancy pen. It gives me a chance to just let my mind take the lead and then all of a sudden I realize, “Oh! That’s what I should be doing to fix this!” I feel like I’ve achieved some sort of conclusion or closure by the end of it.

7. Meditate/Yoga: This is something I never thought I would do or get into but it honestly helped so much. I did the first 10 days of Headspace and I could really tell a difference. Meditation is hard for me though because I feel like I’m not accomplishing anything by just sitting. That’s why I turned to yoga. Before I started I looked up the different types so I would know which type was best to help with stress and the way to prevent injury. I really recommend you take a look into the background and modern development of yoga before starting so that you have a better understanding. Restorative yoga is best for me to destress with and this honestly makes me feel amazing. It doesn’t have to be long, although the long ones do help more, and you can target specific areas of your body that are holding tension. I added some playlists on YouTube so that I have the videos saved and can just look through them to find the one that would work best for me that day.

Also, I really love this tweet with GIF.

Those are my tips on helping to destress and stay on top of your tasks! Planning is essential to making sure you get everything done, but also making sure you leave time for yourself. Don’t be afraid to step back and take a break every once in a while and don’t forget the power of talking to good friends and family.

How do you like to destress?