20 Ways to Manage Stress

Health problems, job pressures, finances and relationships are among the most common stressors. Here are 20 effective ways to manage stress, regardless of its origin

1. Distance Yourself From the Stressors: in the middle of a heated conversation with your partner or colleague? Refuse to engage and simply walk away.
2. Meditate: Close your eyes and shut out everything. Focus on your breathing or an object in front of you, chant a mantra, and picture yourself in that good, happy place.
3. Practice Yoga: get into some yoga postures and reduce your stress levels. Namaste.
4. Go for a walk: Walking allows you to distance yourself from a potentially stressful situation. As a light exercise, walking helps to release endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitters that will leave you feeling warm and mellow.
5. Exercise: Want to go hard, beyond taking a walk? Then go work out at the gym. Biking and hiking are also great stress-relieving exercises.
6. Hug. Snuggle.: Snuggle up to someone you love in your household. Physical contact triggers stress-relieving hormones that will make you feel fuzzy and warm.
7. Tap into Your Support System: Just as with a romantic partner, spending time with family and friends and anyone else that’s close to you can be therapeutic. If you can talk about what’s stressing you, the better.
8. Pet an Animal: turn to your furry friends for comfort when you are feeling stressed out. If you don’t have pets, make a visit to the animal shelter.
9. Laugh Your Heart Out: Laughter is indeed, the best medicine. Watch those funny clips, binge watch that comedy show, and hang out with your funniest friends. Laugh more, and laugh hard.
10. Try Aromatherapy: lavender, rose, orange blossom and other scent help with combating stress. You can use scented oils all over your pulse points. You can also burn scented candles or buy a diffuser to release the calming scent.
11. Drink Something Soothing: herbal teas such as chamomile have calming properties that work on both mind and body to help relieve stress.
12. Chew Gum: Chewing gum stimulates the nerve in your brain that lowers your heart rate, helping you feel relaxed.
13. Get a Massage: A day at the spa will do you a lot of good. The massage therapist will knead away the stress-induced knots and help your mind relax.
14. Listen to Calming Music: The classics or contemporary? It’s all down to preferences. Create your playlist and drift away with the music to a world where all your fears and worries are no more.
15. Soak Away the Stress: Add some Epsom salt to your bathwater for the best results. The salt will make you feel lighter and buoyant as your muscles relax. As the body absorbs the salts, its magnesium levels will be replenished. These levels reduce under stress.
16. Go Outside: spend time in the great outdoors and feel the sun on your skin. Sunlight affects the release of serotonin, another feel-good neurotransmitter. Couple that with fresh air, and nature sounds and you have more than you need to quickly de-stress.
17. A Break From Technology: Switch off your phone, radio and TV. Stay away from the internet. There’s always something that will stress you out on the internet, or your phone.
18. Take a Nap: A power nap will help you de-stress and recharge. Also ensure you get enough sleep every night.
19. Go Swimming: A dip in the water will help relax your body and calm your mind.
20. Repeat a Mantra: Remind yourself that things will get better. Believe every mantra you repeat.

Unchecked stress can affect your productivity in several ways. Manage your stress levels with these easy,yet highly effective techniques.