How to Reduce Stress & Achieve More

A stress-free life would be almost impossible to achieve; it is part of our everyday life to experience some stress, which can be found in the most simple of tasks. Evolutionary speaking, stress is a leftover survival technique that we used for dangerous situations but, nowadays, we rarely need to be in fight-or-flight mode and so our body’s stress reactions can become a problem.

But has it ever crossed your mind that stress is not actually the issue? The problem is often in how prepared people are to manage stressful situations. Being mentally tired and underprepared to deal with our daily challenges can transform the simplest task into a chaotic mess. A stressful job, a hectic family relationship and bills to pay are just some of the factors that we might not be able to avoid, but with some minor changes you could start living a happier life today:

Exercise
Did you know that when we exercise the brain recognises it as a moment of stress? This is the perfect example of stress not being so bad after all. Physically speaking, BDNF and endorphins are the reasons that exercise makes us feel so good. But a recent study from Penn State suggest that to be productive and happy on a given day, it doesn’t matter if you work out regularly; you just need to be working out on that particular day.

Eat healthy
Eating fatty foods can be deliciously unhealthy. Higher fat consumption is associated with increased daytime sleepiness, which make you less productive and therefore more stressed. Small dietary tweaks can positively change our brain chemistry and help us stay happy, energised and even calm. Try eating more whole foods instead of processed ones; plus you will not only find changes in your mood, but also in your waistline.

Work-life balance
Unless you are the heir of an immense fortune, we all have to get a job at some point in our lives. Some jobs are very challenging and involve a lot of stress, but being organised is the key to having a happy work-life balance. Working is important, but make sure you are organised enough to also have time for stress-less activities such as sleeping or having time to do a hobby, because working too much can increase the risk of heart disease. On the other side of the coin, being unemployed can be just as stressful, with 85% of people mentioning that they feel very anxious before job interviews. The key is to recognise emotions and to turn negative feelings into positive ones.

Simplify finances
Money is necessary for modern survival, but many people have problems organising their finances to the point that they get immersed into a sea of mounting debt. By getting your payments organised, you will eliminate clutter, save time, save unnecessary extra fees, and most importantly reduce stress.

Have fun
This tip is extra special. As basic as it seems, we sometimes get so immersed in our problems that we forget to enjoy life. By having a balance between the things that you have to do and doing the things that you love, everything will seem to be smoother because you will be fulfilling your own desires as well as your work’s objectives.