The weekend should be a time for relaxing, but many of us are so stressed out that our down time will simply be more time when we feel down. To make your weekend less stressful, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite ways to tackle stress of all kinds.Photo by Bernard Goldbach.
- First, understand what stress actually does to you and identify whether you have acute stress (temporary and immediate) or chronic (constant) stress. For acute stress, deep breathing can help calm your mind. Chronic stress requires more practice in stopping the stress reflex as soon as it starts.
- Meditation has been proven to relieve chronic pain and stress, actually helping people control their brains’ alpha waves better. And it’s not hard to get started with meditation.
- Another reason to exercise regularly: doing so actually prepares our bodies to deal with stress, making us more stress-resistant. Because of its emphasis on breathing and being in the “now,” yoga is one of the best practices for alleviating stress.
- Got a crazy person causing your stress (like your boss, perhaps)? Put as many people between you and crazy as possible, and disengage.
- Developing a personal renewal program that includes exercise, spending time with your friends, and/or enjoying hobbies may protect you from a toxic work environment. You’ll need to find time for your personal life to do this.
- If money problems are at the root of your stress, try donating to charity to relieve your anxiety.
- Scheduling your worry time is another unusual, but possibly effective strategy.
We’ve discussed before how you relax and compose yourself on the job, but we’re all ears again for your input on how you handle stress.
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