Stress Relief Hacks

Simple, Effective Ways To Reduce Stress Right Away

None of us are strangers to stress. Our lives are more demanding than ever before. Fortunately, there are some simple and effective stress relief hacks to dissolve the pressure right away.

What is stress?

Stress is your body’s natural defensive response to real or perceived demands and threats. Stress in small doses is helpful, like making a lightning-fast swerve to avoid a crash. Long term exposure to stress, however, deteriorates your health.

Prevent burnout

We should all being doing our best to minimalise stress and adjusting our lifestyles to cope better. Regular exercise, a clean diet, and practising mindfulness are essential stress-fighters.

Quick-Fix Ways to Deal with Stress-Hikes

There will, of course, be times when you need to handle immediate stress or stressful periods. These fast-acting temporary solutions will see you through.

Aroma Therapy

Make sure you choose an oil that’s suitable for inhalation then pop a few drops (along with a carrier oil, like grapeseed oil) into a diffuser. Here are just a few of the top stress-fighting essential oils.

• Lavender Relaxation, calms nerves, aids restful sleep
• Bergamot Promotes positive emotions (combats depression and anxiety)
• Camomile Calming and promotes sleep
• Lemon Grass Emotional boost, combats mental and physical exhaustion
• Basil Calms nerves and promotes clear thinking

Less Caffeine

As much as you may enjoy your java for a quick boost, think twice about a third cup. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can actually cause anxiety! It stays in your system for roughly 5 hours and—myth busted—drinking water does NOT counter-act its effects or flush it out faster.

Write It Off

Give your brain a break by writing things down. From reminders and to-do lists to meeting notes. Keeping a journal is a therapeutic way of processing your emotions, helping your mental state as well.

Belly Laugh

Sincere laughter releases happy hormones in your body, giving you a sense of well-being. It counteracts your body’s stress response and relaxes muscles. Some research suggests the regular laughter can even improve your immune system. Hugs, too, have been scientifically proven reduce stress by releasing oxytocin.

Eat the Frog

The hardest part is starting. Identify where you procrastinate and tackle it head-on. You’ll eliminate that which is stressing you out the most, plus the sense of accomplishment will super-charge you for everything else!

Unclench

Set an alarm to go off every hour. When it sounds, breathe out slowly, lowering your shoulders and relaxing your jaw. You won’t believe how much tension you’ve been holding in those areas alone.

Add Some Noise

Need to drown out the annoying office sounds around, or simply want to improve your focus? Listen to pink or brown noise. It’s like white noise but cancels out certain frequencies. Pink for high-pitched tones and brown for low. For a calming effect, listen to animal sounds or instrumental music.

Work Hard, Rest Hard

It is super important to switch-off for a little while to catch your breath and recharge. That means getting a full night’s sleep (that’s when the mind a body repairs), and taking at least 1 day a week to recoup.

Trying to “push-through” when you’re tired is counter-productive. Your pace slows, and mistakes happen. You’d be amazed how allowing your brain to disengage for a few minutes during your workday will help.

Walk around, catch a nap or squeeze in a few minutes for meditation. You’ll return to work with renewed energy and problem-solving perspective.

Recover

Stress comprises your immune system. If you get sick, take adequate time to rest. Recover completely before you return to work.