Let’s Chat… Stress Relief Strategies!
Welcome back, everyone! We hope that you had a great weekend (mine was spent in Austin!), and are diving in head-first for the upcoming week ahead. With St. Patrick’s Day celebrations taking place over the next few weeks, and Spring activities slowly beginning to appear, we thought it would be a great time to remind you of a few ways to take a step back, relax, and relieve stress today. Keep reading to find out our favorite ways to relieve stress today!
Let’s…Relieve Stress!
- Crafts: Let’s start with arts and crafts. We’ve encouraged you many times in the past but are here to nail this idea into your minds one more time… crafting is a key to relaxation! This may look like coloring, hands-on pottery, drawing, sketching, or even digital/online graphic design… it’s a personal and creative outlet that looks different for every participant. No matter how this manifests for you, we encourage you to explore this unique activity to trigger an often unused area of your brain!
- Artistic Outlets: On that same note, engaging in artistic or musically-focused activities is a wonderful way to explore new hobbies and develop previously “unexercised” skills. This may mean music (like drumming, playing piano, or attempting guitar lessons), singing, acting, or engaging in performing arts. However, pushing ourselves into new environments and out of our comfort zone is a great way to segment your life away from pure work and a relaxing means of personal growth.
- Get Outside: If you can take just a moment to watch the sunrise, step out for a cup of coffee, follow the sunset, or take a breath of fresh air, the scientific benefits of activating Vitamin D are unmatched! This does not have to look like a full-blown activity and may just be opening a window, but we are confident that it will be worthwhile no matter where your geographical location.
- Exercise: Finally, we will continue to point out the positive effects of walking that have been proven to decrease stress and increase one’s ability to manage emotions. So, clear your mind, throw on your favorite podcast or music, and get moving! Even better, exercising through a walk (indoor or outdoor) is also a great way to incorporate some casual socialization into your day. Grab a friend, a partner, a colleague, or even a family member, and spend some time walking together, you’ll be amazed at the quality time you’ll achieve.
- Check-in on Sleep Habits: It might sound obvious, but it is crucial to your stress levels that you maintain enough sleep each night. If you’re struggling to fall or stay asleep, try turning off screens earlier in your day, create a setting that allows for relaxation (think lighting, sounds, and scents!), and unplugging from your daily responsibilities to ensure you’re allowing wind-down time before simply expecting to fall right asleep.
- Journal, Gratitude, Meditation, and Mindfulness: One of our favorite ways to stay grounded is by practicing any of these strategies to engage with a form of mindfulness and gratitude. Dedicating just a few minutes a day to journaling, saying things in your head or out loud that you’re grateful for, or researching meditation/mindfulness exercises is an amazing way to bring yourself back to real priorities and the aspects of your life that mean the most to you.
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