Stress can have a profound impact on the quality of your life, and many aspects associated with your wellbeing.
Ranging from your physical health, to mental wellbeing, undoubtedly stress is responsible for many of today’s health issues.
However, did you know that as much as you try to manage stress, it is absolutely impossible to eliminate it completely?
This is because it was wired into our biology on a primitive level, to ensure human survival in stressful times, such as when food was scarce and there were no certainties in life.
While this is not so today, instead of helping us survive the ice age, stress hormones are being flooded into our blood stream as a result of psychological stress, morning commutes, our modern hectic lifestyles, and stressful relationships.
As such, it is important to maintain the quality of your life during stressful situations and periods. You can try these ways to keep your head above water when hope seems dim.
Make Time for Exercise
This mistake is made far too often; people neglect exercise completely for months at a time, since they are “too busy” to fit in a workout. Well, newsflash- trying to fit in time for more work is a never-ending cycle, because more work will always pop up.
Do you know what that leads to? A growing burden of stress, since you keep working and working without making time for your wellbeing.
If you’re in contention of being laid off, the worry can be far greater. Your quality of life is likely to diminish greatly, unless you set aside some time for a little exercise.
It doesn’t have to be much- fit in 30 minutes before upon waking. It won’t break the time bank; all you need to do is prioritize your routine. The endorphin rush you will experience will make the day ahead a good one.
Eat Heartily
Eating good, is not the same as eating a lot. What you need to do is include slow digesting carbohydrate sources (whole-wheat, lots of vegetables and some fruits) good fats, such as avocado or almonds, and complete proteins, such as eggs and chicken.
Why is this important?
Each serves a very distinct function; the slow carbs keep blood sugar levels stable, the fats helps to keep you filled and provides mental clarity, and the protein supplies the amino acid tyrosine, which boosts levels of feel good brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.
The result?
Clarity and no mood swings as a result of hunger, which coupled with cortisol spikes can wreak havoc on your metabolism.
Prioritize Sleep
Yes, we know you have endless work to do. However, if you did from exhaustion, the work will still be there and the world goes on. So, make some me time. At a bare minimum, get 7 hours sleep every night.
Sleep helps to reset the effects of the day gone by, and promotes recovery for the next one. Sleep deficit quickly becomes cumulative. Furthermore, if you can, sleep in on the weekends. The deficit is reduced by these periods, so take advantage of it.
Get a Pet
Have you ever felt the love radiating around a pet? Sometimes there’s nothing more relieving than coming home to your pet. Studies have found that people with pets are happier, and handle stressful times much better than those without.
In addition, the physical benefits can be just as profound, managing blood pressure to enhancing sleep. Well worth your time getting a loving pet by your side.
Meditate Every Day
A brief session of yoga performed every day can leave you feeling well grounded and able to handle the stress of the day. In fact, when used in conjunction with exercise, yoga and meditation helped persons under immense stress handle it efficiently, without taking a major hit physically, emotionally or mentally.
A session may be as brief as 5 minutes, and can be performed virtually anywhere that is reasonably peaceful. Think of the subway commute in the morning or your cubicle during lunch hour.
Your efficiency will also be improved, resulting in you doing more in a short period of time (and hence, possibly eliminate having to bring work home).
Ask for Help
Being a martyr does no favors for you. If you know that you have way too much on your place already, politely decline subsequent loads, or ask for help in reducing current responsibilities.
Burn out can be a major motivation killer, and could even result in you having a mental breakdown. Know your limits, and this also means knowing when to say no.
Our species are hardwired genetically to survive and thrive. Stressful periods of time can be managed, but it is important for you to determine what can be done, and apply it.
