Are you feeling overworked and panicked at the moment? Perhaps, you’re stressed out most of the time and really struggling to focus? Well, you’ve just described pretty much everyone these days.
Unfortunately, feeling stressed out and unsure of your next steps is rapidly becoming ‘normal’ in a world where we have so much to do and not enough time to do it in plus we’re dealing with all the other ‘stuff’ that’s going on around us.
Here are six ways to help you feel better almost instantly:
Tidy
I’m sure you’ve heard of Marie Kondo – the Japanese decluttering consultant who suggests going through all your stuff and purging it if you don’t love it.
Studies have shown that the more clutter you see, the more easily you are distracted. Your brain is literally being bombarded with too much to absorb. I’m sure you’ve entered an office or space that is cluttered and you literally just walk away because it’s just too much to take in?
You don’t have to go all in immediately… If you just do a little spring cleaning when you have a moment, you’ll feel instantly better. And if you do a little bit every day you’ll start to see progress which will immediately make you feel good about yourself.
Eat
If you’re feeling very anxious, you might find yourself exploring the pantry or fridge for some instant ‘feel-good food’. Our moods are tied very closely to what we eat due to the link between our blood sugar and the release of cortisol and serotonin (the stress and feel good hormones respectively!).
Rather than reaching for the unhealthy stuff, take a bit of time to prepare something healthy. Your body will thank you for this.
Go for a walk
Reconnecting with nature will do you the world of good! Breathe in the fresh air and allow your mind to wander – if you can only manage a quick five minute walk around the block, do it… it all helps.
Meditate
Start out with five minutes and build on this when you’re ready. A short meditation can be more than enough to help boost your mood and help you feel better.
Make an effort to push away all your concerns and negative thoughts – aim to focus on pleasant things or let your mind go blank… give it some time to rest too!
Exercise
Through the release of serotonin, exercise helps us overcome stress and anxiety and, of course, whilst you are exercising you are distracting yourself and removing yourself from the immediate stressors going on around you.
Take a moment for yourself and do 30 push ups. You’ll get the blood circulating and feel better in no time.
Take a break from the news and social media
It’s so easy to collapse into a chair and start scrolling through the day’s social media posts. Before you know it, a few hours have passed and you’ve been drawn into the doom and gloom of what’s happening in the world.
Take a break from it. It can be all-consuming!
