5 Tips to Keep Stress at a Minimum

Reduce Stress by Keeping in Sync with the Body + Mind

This time of year can be really quite chaotic. I have a few tips that have helped me to get my priorities in check (i.e., take care of myself first), so that I am calmer and more able to take on stressful situations. As the saying goes, “you can’t give from an empty cup.” So, here are my five biggest tips for staying in tune with your body and mind to keep overall stress at a minimum, and overall happiness boosted!

Five Tips

ONE // Spend at least 30 minutes per day reading or listening to an audiobook/podcast
Doing so helps you escape your own life, so when you come back to work or to any personal issues you may be dealing with, you have a refreshed outlook. I used to spend a lot of time on the subway when I worked downtown, and even though my office and my apartment were only about three miles apart, I spent quite a bit of time commuting. I would always bring a book with me because it kept my mind occupied on an otherwise stressful train ride. Commuting at rush hour with a whole bunch of strangers up in your personal space just isn’t fun. So, I would read –  a lot. It was so easy to get lost in a book, and it was a great way for me to disconnect.

Recently, I’ve switched jobs and I now work in the suburbs, so I drive to work everyday. I’ve been listening to the radio, and I’ve found it to actually stress me out. I do love some of the radio shows, but overall they get me pretty agitated with all the commericials. I miss my reading time! Instead, I’ve switched to audiobooks and podcasts, and they are having the same effect as my reading time.

TWO // Make your daily shower or bath a relaxation ritual
I really look forward to my shower everyday. Actually, I used to love to take baths. In high school, I used to take a bath after sports practices everyday. I always felt so refreshed afterward, and even though I dont always have time for a bath, I’ve kept this ritual of a relaxation therapy with me in my current shower routine. Althought showering in hot water isn’t great for your skin, I always let myself enjoy the heat for a minute or two before I cool the temperature back down. I have a few favorite body washes that are super luxurious – my current obsession is this Alba Botanical Midnight Tuberrose option. Then, I do my beauty routine, and honestly, it’s my favorite part of the day. I just love pampering my skin, applying my favorite products, and just making myself feel good.  Once I’m all set, if its at night I just like to get cozy and snuggle up. Or if its in the morning, I just feel refreshed and calm and ready to go.

THREE // Exercise (as much or as little as your lifestyle allows)
For a period of about a year, I actually almost never exercised – ever. I’m still struggling to get back into the habit of exercising regularly, but I do know that living a completely sedentary life isn’t working for me. It makes me worry about my health in the future, and as they say, “sitting is the new smoking.” Working full time and working on the blog, I would go from my bed to my car to my desk back to my car to my desk at home and then back to bed. A few days of operating like this is probably fine, but for a year? No, thanks! I just started to feel like I had no muscle tone, I would be out of breath going up and down the stairs and I actually lost weight. As someone who used to run 8 miles around the Charles River in college, this lack of activity has really affected my mental state more than anything. Lately, I’ve started focusing on getting in a little exercise in when I can. Even after just a one mile jog, I feel so much better about myself. My motto on this front is to just…do what you can.

FOUR // Eat the right things
If you ever watched a documentary like Forks over Knives, you know what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t seen it, go watch it – it’s on Netflix. I try to eat a diet that is mostly vegan. Veganism is not realistic in the world we live in. You could do it, but it’s quite expensive, time consuiming and takes a lot of forethought.  I’ve been a vegetarian for most of my life, so switching from vegetarianism to veganism wasn’t too bad; however, I do love cheese (and pizza, and ice cream) so sometimes I do cheat. When I eat properly, however, I just feel calmer. My ideal diet is full of fruits, veggies, grains, nuts and seeds. A nutritious, high-fiber diet really is a key factor to keeping my stress-levels down and my overall happiness high.

FIVE //  Find a balance with technology
Let’s face it, our lives are deeply integrated with our devices. Disconnecting actually makes me feel more stressed out because I can ust imagine emails and social media notifications and messages piling up that I can’t deal with. A lot of people like to go on a “media cleanse” or make sure they disconnect for a portion of the day, and while I don’t think there is anything wrong with doing so, I find that it is better to just establish a healthier relationship with our phones and computers and tablets. Respond to messages when you can and know what can wait. Staying at least loosely aware of what is happening on my phone (even if I can’t deal with it right away) helps me feel more in control.

Bonus tip: don’t forget to treat yourself everyone in a while! My guilty pleasure? A good almond milk latte and some decadent macarons.

What are your tips for keeping stress levels low? I’d love to know!
xo -L