A hectic lifestyle is the recipe for poor physical and mental health. It has become increasingly common to work longer and harder to meet the demands of our professional lives and achieve our goals. Stress is unavoidable; however, there are ways to reduce its impact on your life.
Here are 12 hacks to help you reduce stress:
1) Set reasonable goals
We often hear that we should ‘dream big’. However, our goals should be reasonable; otherwise, they could become a source of stress rather than an inspiration. A realistic and achievable goal will motivate you, push you to make changes to your lifestyle at a gradual and comfortable pace, and prepare you mentally for your next bigger goal in life.
2) Automate your savings
Money – or the lack of it – is unarguably one of the biggest stressors in life. Financial experts have advised that once you receive your salary, you should set aside 20% for savings, and the rest should go to your bills and other expenses. Make this an automatic deduction and consider it as paying yourself first. This way, you can always add to your monthly savings and slowly, but surely, build up a nice little nest egg.
3) Allow yourself to make mistakes
To err is human. Avoid stressing yourself out over mistakes you have made in your life. Instead, learn from them and try to move on.
4) Always update your resume and portfolio
Opportunities come when you least expect them; hence, it is important to keep your resume and portfolio updated. You might suddenly come across an opening for your dream job. You would feel more assured with a resume ready to be sent with your job application at any time.
5) Be your own boss
Unemployment causes much mental and emotional stress. Be proactive in advertising your skills, services, or the products that you sell on different websites and social media. Put yourself out there and a job opportunity may come to you.
6) Improve the way you carry out your schedule
If your daily schedule is stressing you out, consider improving the way you manage your own time. Use a planner to plot out your activities throughout the week and allocate a reasonable time frame for each task.
7) Stop procrastinating
Nothing can be more stressful than rushing to meet a deadline. Avoid unnecessary stress by sitting down to complete your tasks on a specific day or on time.
8) Try to smile
No matter how stressful your day has been, remembering to smile or have a good laugh with a family or friend can do wonders for stress relief.
9) Keep away from negative people
Some people are walking stress magnets. Keep a lookout for such people in your life and turn the other way when you see them. This can help you to keep your stress to the minimum.
10) Exercise regularly
Exercising has been proven to be a great way to improve one’s blood circulation and mood.
11) Listen to music
Music is one of the best ways to refresh your mind and destress. Create a playlist of your favourite songs and listen to it during short breaks at work.
12) Get enough sleep
You will not stand a chance against stress if you do not allow your body to recharge. Sleeping is the way we heal and recuperate from the pressure we face in life. Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night so that you can be ready to face new challenges the next day.
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