It’s safe to say that everyone has a little stress in their lives, and as a blogger with deadlines, projects, and events to attend, I’m no different.  So as a lot of changes have taken place in my life recently, I wanted to share some thoughts on how to decompress a little and reduce stress.

Everyone needs to take the time to relax and decompress from the mental stress that naturally occurs in our daily lives.  A low-stress level is important to maintain overall health, so here I thought I would share five techniques that anyone can do to reduce mental stress:

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5 Ways to Reduce Stress:

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Get more sleep.

Make the time to get to bed early or sleep in late.  Your body needs time to recover and it won’t function or deal with stress properly without enough rest.
This is challenging for me… but definitely a top priority!  As a blogger, I definitely find that I get the most work done after everyone has gone to sleep and it’s the wee hours of the morning.  Since I’m actively trying to make sure I get more sleep, I at least make it a point to shut things off and step away at least 3 nights a week.  I know it’s hard when there’s so much going on, but sleep is just as important if not more for your body!

 

Enjoy the moment.

Take time to be present for each action.  Put down the cell phone and focus on what’s in front of you.  The more you make time to live in the moment, the less tense you will feel. 
This is definitely applicable to me as a social media junkie because you’ll rarely see me without my phone or camera in hand.  As wonderful as it is to capture life’s little moments, we all have to make sure we are enjoying the moments as they are happening and not just viewing them as a bystander through a lens or screen.

 

Eat a healthy diet.

Your energy level and mental stress can be a direct result of the food you eat.  Healthier food fuels your body better and enables you to handle stress better. 
Again, this is a work in progress for me because I’m guilty of grabbing a quick 4 for $4 in between driving to meetings (shh!!!), but I’ve found that if I make a little extra time at the beginning of the week to plan things out, I’m a lot more likely to eat better when I have a plan in place.

 

Engage with others.

Finding a confidant allows you to connect and feel like you aren’t going through life alone. It may also help you get a fresh perspective from someone else.
This is where my hubby, mom, and my girl boss friends come into play.  I wouldn’t be able to make it through a day without sharing the peaches and pits of each day with friends and family and it’s important to have at least one confidant in your life to talk with.

 

Make time to exercise.

Find an activity you enjoy and create a routine around it. Exercising allows you to get out of your head and focus on your body movements instead of what is stressing you out.
Yep, you may recall how fit and active I was in prepping for my wedding... it was probably the only thing to keep me sane during such a crazy time.  I let this one slip down the priority list lately (#hibernation), but I’m back in the game finding time to work out at the gym, at home, shooting a round of golf, and even playing co-ed softball.

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Following these five techniques are all within your power to reduce stress in your life today… and trust me, it’s a work in progress.

We’re not perfect, so there may be days that we don’t achieve all of these things, but if you’re like me, I think every little bit helps.  So keep looking at the glass half full and find the little things that make it work for you!