I think it's safe to say so many of us at the moment just can't relax, whether it's worries over money, the stress of running a house with excitable children or mental health concerns, just a small selection of things that the pandemic has turned upside down. If you feel like you need a break away from the strain of reality, you've come to the right place! Here are some tips on how you can take a well needed time-out!
Avoid Trying Too Hard!
You've already established that perhaps you're feeling stressed, great! But do you know what is counter-productive? Trying too hard to reverse it. Whether it's trying out yoga poses you've never even heard of and feeling like an utter doughnut in the process, or writing a self-help diary which leaves you feeling frustrated at just how much you have on your mind, it's important to act slowly and carefully to what your body needs. It's worth remembering that everyone is different. Where I find writing to be a great stress reliever, others may find this too much effort and will add further onto their already existing pressure on themselves. Whichever method you decide to try, make sure it works for you at your own pace!
Don't Accept Stress As "The New Normal!"
After a long period of time being under a lot of pressure, sometimes we forget that actually things used to be a lot different. Bad habits such as skipping meals, limiting time away from the things you enjoy and delving into the snack cupboard when the stress becomes too consuming are all things that many of us would continue to do without realising it. It's easy to fall into the cycle of the stress being the reason for this behaviour, but the behaviour often exacerbates the stress and so on. For example, spending less time with your family may lead to unnecessary arguments, or eating more junk food than usual is likely to leave you feeling not so great about yourself afterwards. Be active in battling your stresses, nobody is supposed to walk through life without some hardships falling upon them, but it is also important to know that stress should not be a long-term feeling either. This is where medical intervention may be helpful. There is life after hardships, and one cannot truly heal unless the stress is gone with it.
If Nothing Is Working, Try Something New!
So the yoga didn't work, the anti-stress medication is making you unbearably tired and you're running out of options of what to do next. Luckily for you there is always something new you can try, even if that be something obscure and not necessarily thought of as a mainstream stress reliever, much like the growing popularity of smash therapy, where you get to destroy objects, walls and even old buildings (yes, really), in a safe, legal, and controlled environment. If none of these solutions seem to be right for you, browse away to your heart's content - you will always find something you enjoy out there somewhere, you may just be looking in the wrong place!
Be Honest, Talk To Someone.
Whether you have a house full of a loving family or live by yourself, talking is the most important part of maintaining a good mental wellbeing, not only for yourself but with others as well. If you find it particularly difficult to open up with other people, you're not alone. Ask anyone who has faced real hardships with their mental health, they would easily say that admitting they needed help was always the most difficult part. These people would also say, however, that the hardest part of the process reaps the best rewards, as it is often when being honest with others that you begin to melt away the stress that has been with you for such a long time, just by sharing it with someone else. As human beings we have a terrible habit of making things seem worse than they are, and having a person on the outside of our own thoughts to ground us and rationally put things into perspective will always be of benefit.
If You're Not Ready To Talk, Put It In Writing!
As I mentioned before, everyone does things at their own pace - if you feel now isn't your time to speak out, that's absolutely okay. Writing down your worries is just as effective and a method I personally use if I have a lot on my mind. If you feel that your thoughts are affecting your daily life and especially your sleep pattern, a technique I used was to dedicate 10 minutes a day to worry about a specific list of things I would have written down beforehand. No matter how many worries you have, jotting them down and telling yourself "I will deal with these later" is a healthy way of managing the issue. It's neither being over-focused on them or sweeping them under the carpet, but resolving them at a sensible time. It can be any time of the day which is most convenient for you. If you are one of the bedtime-worriers out there, this method can also be very beneficial if you struggle to fall asleep. Jotting down any negative thoughts that enter your mind once you get into bed will take them out of your worries and allow you to fall asleep faster. Many people say that the reason they can't fall asleep is because they fear forgetting something they have to do tomorrow, or preparing for a big day ahead, write these down and you will never have to worry during the night again!
Empathise With Yourself!
There will be times where you are nothing but frustrated, tired, angry or confused. All because you have been under a lot of pressure and seemingly have no way of dealing with it. It's easy to assume that others cope with hardships "better" than you do - but do you really know that? Your new neighbour that just got married to the love of his life may still be having financial struggles behind closed doors, even the most joyous of people get stressed sometimes, and that's okay. There is nobody on the planet who can judge another for how they cope with stress, and that includes yourself. You are an amazing human being, your body has the ability to create life, feel the deepest of emotions and has an unfathomable intelligence far beyond any species we've ever known, but even the greatest of people have their down moments, so go easy on yourself.
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