How to Manage Stress in 4 Easy Ways

how to manage stress

Use These Tips to Destress

Got a Hellacious week coming up? Like one, you’ve been dreading? Use these 4 strategies to help you destress and go into the week with a calm, clear mind ready to do battle! Because every week seems to be pretty stressful, I think we are going to do these every day! 😉

4 Ways to Destress

It’s easy to stress out these days. Things like smartphones and the internet were meant to remove work from our plate, but in fact, they just mean that you are closer to your job, your friends, and your day-to-day tasks than ever before.

All of those things can now demand attention in seconds, no matter where you are.

Plus, there is the cultural drive to be more active, be more outdoorsy, and be more social. It can be overwhelming.

If you know you have a week ahead filled with important work meetings, a ton of appointments, and some heavy cardio work, it’s important to put yourself in the right frame of mind. You will be more tolerant of the problems life will throw at you over the next 7 days if you start in a relaxed, calm manner [Good luck! 😉 ].

So here are some things you should do before the week starts.

1. Plan ahead

Destress PlanOne of the causes of stress is your brain’s inability to remember everything you have to do in the coming week. All of the information is in there, but there is that much to process that it can cause confusion, as dates and times get jumbled.

So the first thing to do, before any of these other steps, is to map out what you are up against.

Make a simple list, with gives a basic description of every task that lays ahead, with clear dates and times (both start times and end times). You’ll likely have some things that are set in stone, whereas other tasks are more fluid.

If you can change these tasks around, place them on days that are less busy than others, for a nice even spread.

2. Clear the distractions

This point is a matter of willpower. Just as there are 101 things you have to do in the week, there are 1001 things that could distract you. The degree of severity varies, so some of these distractions will occupy you for a few minutes, whereas other can consume hours.

It might be best to plow through as many as you can on this de-stress day. If you’re in the middle of a box set on Netflix, watch a fair few episodes to satisfy your desire to watch it for a week.

Alternatively, treat these less important tasks like events in themselves, and include them on your week plan, with dates and times.

This way, not only do you prevent your plan being purely about work, you also can feel less guilty about indulging in these distractions.

3. Have a bath

Destress Take a BathThis isn’t a matter of cleanliness, although they do say “clean body, clean mind”. No, this is about deep relaxation. Showers are more efficient than baths, but their short time means they aren’t great for relaxing. Instead, draw a bath, and unwind however you see fit.

It’s also a good idea to finish your stressful week with a bath too. That “Ahhhh” sensation as you plunge into the waters will only be heightened when you know your plan came off without a hit, and it’s all over for now.

4. Get out of the house

There are few better ways of getting the stress monkey off your back than laughing about it. So go out, meet up with friends, and tell them about your nightmare week.

They’ll laugh, you’ll hopefully see the funny side, and then you can start mocking their weeks!

Wrap-Up

You could also consider going for a walk or doing some light cardio.

Even these small releases of energy will help you feel revitalized and help you sleep easier when it’s time to get your head down ahead of your week from Hell.

These points will hopefully allow you to destress, unwind and relax as ready as you’ll ever be to tackle the week head-on!

Izzy is a university student who loves photography, dance, and everything that involves physical activity (especially Zumba and running). She is also a fan of healthy eating habits and browsing the web for news on this subject. 
Izzy