Stress Less Fast Guide to Follow Every Day

It may seem like stress will always find you. Like a ghost haunting you that just won’t quit. Millennials are often plagued by an overloaded schedule. It can sometimes feel like you can’t possibly fit all you have to do in one day. These are the thoughts that cause you to feel like you’re too overwhelmed to even start one task because your mind feels out of control. But you have a lot more control than you realize. When you have “go to” strategies, rather than letting your mind wander into a stress spiraling abyss, you will feel more in control. Feeling in control is one of the best feelings in life. It allows you to think more clearly and pursue your daily goals more effectively.  Get control back with this stress less fast guide to follow everyday.

Give Yourself “Small Gains”

You don’t have to only allow yourself to feel accomplished when you do something major. This is especially because doing something big may take a while to achieve. Instead, concentrate on rewarding yourself for small gains. Paid off a credit card bill today? You’re awesome (The annual salary of a millennial today is an estimated 20% lower than the average salary for a baby boomer at the same age, so  paying your credit card bill on time and in full? you rock!) Gave a friend good advice? Pat yourself on the back. Cleaned and organized your room? Amazing! See? Every day look for a little something to allow yourself to feel good about.

Just Say No

Say No to a request that will surely cause extra stress in your life. Maybe someone is asking you to do something you have no interest in doing? Maybe doing this will even take away time you need to accomplish your goals for the day. It doesn’t have to be a blunt No!, but politely say No. Hey, if you want to be helpful and today isn’t the day for it, you can always pick another day to say yes, just not when it inconveniences you. Sometimes disappointing others means disappointing yourself less and if they really care for you they will forgive you.

Learn a Relaxation Exercise

I’ve mentioned this one before. It’s important to have a “toolkit(to follow in a later post).” In other words, at least a few strategies that serve as your “go to” for relieving stress throughout the day. A relaxation exercise to have on hand is definitely one of them. Learn at least one relaxation exercise to have on hand in case you need it. We will get into a list of proven, effective relaxation exercises soon. For now, try taking slow, deep breaths five times when stress is high. Make sure you can hear your breathing. If you are at home, you could also try stopping whatever you are doing, lighting a candle, and practicing clearing your mind while staring at the candle for five minutes. How about ditching the normally recommended relaxation techniques, turning on upbeat music and dancing around your room? A little silliness works every time!

Accept what is not in your control

You are fighting a losing battle if you consistently allow yourself to get fired up about that advice your loved one just won’t take or your boss’s management style that is different from how you would do things. If something occurs throughout the day that stresses you, consider if you actually do have control over this. Then, work on finding the solution. If you realize there is nothing you can do about something that is causing you stress, take a breath and let it go. Remind yourself, “This is not within my control to change.” Letting go of what you cannot control is truly freeing.

Do at least one thing you enjoy

Be sure to do something that gives you pleasure at least once a day. If you like running, make sure you squeeze it in. Maybe it’s just kicking back with a show you’re currently binging on. If it seems like you just have no time for something you enjoy, do what you love even if it is for 15 minutes.

Come on, everyone can squeeze in 15 minutes of anything. Do what you enjoy at your highest time of stress if you can. For example, if work has your stress skyrocketing, take your fifteen-minute break by going for a walk or listening to relaxing music. I would find my “zen place” in the middle of the day, during work, sitting on the NY Post Office steps amidst all the noise and traffic. This is because I chose to block all of that out, soak up the sun and listen to a podcast.

Learn to Let Things Go

This is perhaps one of the most important items on this stress less fast guide. Someone may have wronged you. Does this mean you should let anger eat away at you every time someone does something to anger or offend you? No. You can make the decision to forgive, and most importantly, let it go so your stress does not snowball. If you can accept the fact that people make mistakes you will calm down and also give that person room to forgive you when it is your turn to make a mistake.

So there it is. Consider these strategies to use each and every day to alleviate stress when all else fails or you just can’t think of anything to do to feel calm. You can learn to control the power stress has over you. If you do one thing on this stress less fast guide that makes you feel less stressed each day, pat yourself on the back. If you can accomplish doing more than one, reward yourself!