10 Ways to Deal with Stress

Being a leader is stressful.  We all have days that are considerably more challenging and stressful than others. Unfortunately, stress is hard on both your mind and body.  The holiday season tends to increase stress and tension.

Too many high stress days can really take its toll. And what’s worse, you could even become so used to being in this “high state of alert” that you start to feel like it’s normal! Don’t let this happen to you.  Your family and business need you.  More than that, you should take care of yourself, before you take care of others.  As they say during the preflight when you fly, “Put your mask on first, before helping others.”

It’s important to develop some techniques that help you relieve stress and strengthen your self-soothing abilities.

When you’re struggling to stay calm, relaxed, and focused, try some of these strategies:

  1. Breathe deeply. Breathe in for 5 seconds and hold it for 5 seconds. Now exhale for 5 seconds. Do this 10 times and focus only on your breathing. These breaths should only be slightly larger in volume than a normal, relaxed breath.  Takes less than a minute.
  2. Take a walk.  Practice the breathing technique above during your walk, focusing on your breathing, walking, and surroundings.Nothing else should enter your mind. If your mind insists on wandering to non-productive thinking, you might have to simply keep repeating, “Taking a step”to yourself over and over.  It will quiet your mind.
  3. Get some exercise.  Any time of day is a good time to exercise. Comfortably tired is what you’re looking for. Work out your frustrations by going for a run or swim. Hit the weights and show them who is boss. Any exercise will do as long as there is some intensity involved.  Shuffleboard isn’t going to cut it.  I suggest keeping a pair of hand weights or yoga bands in your office.
  4. Sit outside.  A little time in the yard or park can work wonders. Find a relaxing spot with pleasant scenery. Pay attention to what’s going on around you and keep your mind off your challenges. Talk to the squirrels. Even 10 to 15 minutes can greatly reduce your stress.
  5. Take a day off.  Everyone needs a break once in a while. The business will NOT burn to the ground if you are gone for a day.  However, on your day off, it’s important to avoid just sitting around and brooding about all of your current difficulties. Take your mind off of things and have some fun.  Lose yourself in activities that you enjoy.
  6. Read.  Find something engrossing to read. The ideal book would be able to take your mind off of things for a few hours. Ask your friends for some recommendations, or if you’re like most people, you probably have a couple of books on the shelf that you’ve never gotten around to. Now is the perfect time to read it.  If you need a suggestion, give me a shout and I will be happy to set you up with a few good reads.
  7. Listen to music.  Again, it should be something engrossing that really captures your attention. Don’t be afraid to get up and dance; no one is watching anyway.
  8. Disconnect.  No phone and no computer. Turn off everything that connects you to the outside world. Then you can really relax. Stay offline for as long as you can.
  9. Take a nap.  There’s no better way to start over than to take a nap.When you wake up, it feels like another chance to start your day over. What happened before your nap is in the past! Now you can deal with it and move on.
  10. Hang out with people that are fun.  Get the gang together and meet for a movie or a drink. Have dinner with the friend that always makes you laugh. It’s easy to get caught up in our own little world. Being with others can jolt you out of that perspective.

Don’t let high stress get you down. The key is to actively do something about it.Some people develop a habit of being paralyzed when things start going sideways, but this does nothing to make you feel better or solve your stressful issues.

Actively relax so you’ll be better able to tackle your challenges. Use these tips to minimize the pressure and anxiety you’re feeling and take control of yourself and the situation. Dealing with your challenges effectively is crucial to living the peaceful life you deserve.

I would love to send you a checklist for building Holiday Memories the Stress-Free Way, just enter your information below.

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