Productive Ways to Deal with Stress
By Sara Butler
Everyone dreams of living a life devoid of stress, where everyone in their lives are always happy and all needs are met. The house is clean, the dog somehow walks itself, and you can relax on a cloud with a tall glass of iced tea in hand. Too bad that’s not the reality! Everyone deals with stress and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by your daily to-do list. Here are some productive ways you can better deal with stress in your life so you can be healthy and happy.
Simplify
Look at your schedule and think about any activities or appointments you could drop from it -- or at least scale back. If you can simplify your schedule, then you can use that time to focus on some self-care.
Not sure how to switch things around? Sometimes it can mean making tough choices in order to make time for you, but the benefits far outweigh the consequences of changing the housework schedule or axing one of your kid’s playdates.
Declutter Your Life
That epic shoe pile you’ve been amassing in the corner of the living room or the stacks of papers on your kitchen table need to be addressed! Even if you don’t realize it, having a home full of chaos doesn’t allow your brain to relax, so calm your brain down by getting rid of some things you don’t need around the house. Take it one step at a time. Just because you can’t tackle a whole room doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make time to clear one corner. Spending just a few minutes cleaning out your kitchen junk drawer can be just what you need to reduce a little stress in your life.
Grab a Coloring Book!
Coloring isn’t just for kids! Many studies have shown benefits for adults when it comes to coloring too. Coloring has a calming effect and can help to slow your breathing and heart rate, stimulate your brain, and relax your muscles. Go out and buy an adult coloring book, some colored pencils, and get to work. You may be surprised by just how therapeutic it is!
Just Say No to Multi-Tasking
A lot of people get through a day by multi-tasking, but that may do more harm than good. Taking on several things all at once has been shown to be more stressful and ultimately ineffective. Slow down and just tackle one job at a time!
You can conquer stress! Try these ideas out and see how they make you feel.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sandy, Utah.