With moments of stress and anxiety come excellent opportunities to learn, practice, and perfect new coping skills. It is essential that you don’t get caught up in a feedback loop with these emotions but instead take active control of your emotional health to enjoy the journey. Here are a few ways in which you can manage short-term stress.
Take a walk
Recognize the signs of stress in your life and take a walk. Reduce tension or pressure by walking around, preferably in nature, when you feel tension or anxiety. Research demonstrates that walking is good for keeping mild to moderate stress under control. The action of walking alone can do wonders, plus connecting with nature and getting some fresh air has the added benefit of leaving you feeling more engaged, alert, and ready to tackle whatever comes next.
Refueling with a walk breaks up the hours of sitting and has many benefits. Getting out in the fresh air and moving around helps beat stress, boost your mood, and improve sleep.
Create a reflection journal and meditate
High stress and anxiety levels can cause problems in our health and relationships. Calm down these stressful feelings by taking the time to reflect upon happy moments and thoughts. Get back to a balanced life with this reflection journal. This journal lets you reflect on your experiences and feelings each day. It helps you grow and realize how to manage stress and anxiety. It’s a great gift to share with friends and family and perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
Through journaling, thoughtful questions, and goal tracking, you will be guided through easy and practical steps to help you look proactive in managing your life and get the most out of each day.
Sleep and rest
We all know that reducing stress is good for our health and well-being, but most of us don’t know that by improving your sleep, you can tackle many types of short-term stress such as exam pressure, workplace stress, relationship worries, and family tension, and more.
Short-term stress has a way of making you feel tired, worn out, or just not yourself. It’s easy to forget how much you need to take care of yourself and buy into the feeling. Take back control by being aware that you can sleep your stress away! Sleep soothes your mind and allows your thoughts to get some distance from the source of anxiety or stress. And while you are sleeping, your body is doing much more than giving your brain a much-needed break. Ensure you are using a comfortable mattress to keep your body relaxed.
Engage in fun activities
Manage stress through fun activities. Activities can help manage stress because they force you to forget about your responsibilities and problems. Some stressful situations, like being stuck in traffic, are unavoidable, but taking some time to do a fun activity can help reduce that stress and make you feel better. A great way to shift your focus and energy is to immerse yourself in creative activities like cooking, drawing, and dancing.
You can also try and learn a new skill such as skating. This will engage your mind and distract you from whatever is bothering you. So grab a skateboard and have fun!
Practice breathing exercises
In stressful situations, breathing exercises can help you clear your head, make better decisions, and lower anxiety levels. Breathing exercises offer a simple stress management technique. They can be done easily and quickly without special equipment. Please take a moment to focus on breathing slowly and notice how it feels in your body.
By practicing slow, diaphragmatic breathing exercises, you can better manage short-term stress and anxiety. By breathing in through the nose for a count of 4 and out for a count of 4 many times per day, you can bring your heart rate down and control your body’s response to tense situations. These breathing techniques support calm physical and mental relaxation and offer health benefits like improved cardiovascular function and reduced blood pressure. If you are interested in learning more about using breathing exercises to manage your health, talk with a doctor or therapist.
Use shoulder rolls or neck rolls
A good stress management routine involves a combination of exercise and mindfulness. Shoulder rolls, neck rolls, and other stretches work well for relieving tension. To manage short-term stress and anxiety, try a few simple neck rolls. For example, if you’re feeling stressed out, take a step back from the situation and roll your neck slowly from side to side for several breaths. This helps work out any tension in your body and enables you to approach the problem with a level head.
Shoulder rolls and neck rolls are quick relaxation techniques for our head, neck, and shoulders. They are most effective when done regularly but can help in a stressful situation.
