When was the last time you felt stressed? Or should we ask: When was the last time you didn’t feel stressed?
We all have gone through phases where we felt stressed and not always stress has to be something negative. Sometimes it actually helps us move things forward.
However, feeling constant stress can have many negative effects on our health. And the best thing to do about it, is to not wait until stress has taken over, but already look for ways to avoid it.
Read through three habits you can add to your daily work routine to reduce stress and live a healthier life. And as anything in life, once it is part of our routine, it will be really easy to follow through.
Nr 1: Take active breathing breaks
Time investment: 5 minutes of your day
Level of difficulty: Very easy
This might sound a bit awkward, as of course we are breathing 24/7. But especially during stressful times, breathing is super important. It will allow you to calm down and even provide your brain with more oxygen.
So make sure to set some reminders throughout the day to just take a minute to breathe slowly and constantly and focus only on that. The best part of it is that you can do it in front of your laptop, or just go to the bathroom of your office and use that space if you want to be more private. Coming out of that minute of active breathing can truly bring you down and help you gain more clarity.
Nr 2: Say thank you at least 3 times in a day
Time investment: 5 minutes of your day
Level of difficulty: Middle
Why did we put the level of difficulty for saying “thank you” 3 times in a day as “middle” That can’t be right! Well, it is. Because it is not only about saying that word, it is also about truly meaning it. And showing gratitude during difficult and stressful times is not always easy.
That is why we wanted to be very specific with this task. You can do it when you wake up or before you go to sleep. Think about 3 things you are truly grateful for on this day. It can be for the food you had, for the message from a friend you received or for an accomplishment you had. Just take the time to say thank you and you will feel so much more positive and confident about being able to overcome any stressful time.
Nr 3: Include a little physical activity in your day
Time investment: 5-10 minutes of your day
Level of difficulty: Middle-difficult
Nope, this isn’t necessarily going to the gym. We refer to any type of physical activity you can get in during the day. What about walking to a bus station a bit further away before getting on the bus? What about dancing a bit while washing your plates, what about taking the stairs instead of the escalators?
Remember, all these things have an impact on your mental health and you don’t have to become a marathon runner to be someone who includes physical activity into their daily routine.
Conclusion: 3 habits for your daily routine to reduce stress and live a healthier life
As we have seen, there are 3 habits we can build to decrease our stress-level with varying levels of difficulty. Some might be easier to stick to than others, but all three of them don’t take much time and you can get started with them easily.
We hope these tips help you create better routines that can actually help you pass through stressful times in a more stress-less way!
Remember: you are in control of this.
And if you feel like you could need a career coach to help you get back on track with your career, contact us.
