It’s been a while since I posted on here! But the stresses of life had gotten in the way, as they do. Finding the balance between uni work, actual work, and maintaining a home workout schedule in lockdown was piling on! With the UK finally coming out of lockdown, I feel some weight has been shifted, thankfully.
April has been a good month so far, restrictions are lifting, and people are congregating in the streets again! The feeling of freedom is filling the air, and reuniting with loved ones proves positive for our mental health. But with that being said, we may still be trying to get through the pressures of our daily lives.
Work may seem a little bit more challenging. Or the demands of your studies may start to feel all the more real this time of year. You might even be going through a difficult relationship or situation that feels like an unwanted strain. But don’t fret, that feeling of stress is not permanent!
I thought it would be a good idea to go through my top 5 tips to help you cope with stress. I hope these help and apply in several situations:
1. Talk to others. Sometimes it helps to have a listening ear by your side. Vent to someone you trust about what is causing you trouble, so you don’t have to deal with the pressures of society on your own! Now that you can meet up with friends since the restrictions are lifting, it’s a lot easier to communicate, especially if you’re not much of a texter or phone call person for those in-depth conversations.
Another opinion can also help you recognise that you may be juggling a lot, but there’s no reason you should do it on your own. The advice from a second or third opinion will benefit you more than you know! If you still think that you need guidance, therapy and counselling are also good options to help you cope with stress and anxiety; from a non-biased perspective.
2. Exercise. I don’t know about you, but for me, working out at home was not cutting it! However, I felt a little better and a little less stressed out… for the moment. The endorphins your body releases when you exercise make you feel happier and less worried. Even when it sometimes does feel as though exercising is a chore! But it is so so worth it in the end for our bodies, minds and mental health! And we have no excuses now that gyms are open again! 😉
3. Take a break. I wrote an article last year about the signs that are telling you to take a break here. You may not even realise you’re overworked, and this has just become the norm. But you can easily change that by scheduling time for yourself to literally do nothing if you wanted to. Stress and anxiety can negatively affect our mental health, so it’s good to remember all the ways to tackle the bad to not feel like we’re running on empty. Stress can also be good for motivation, but try not to overdo it!
4. Switch up the scenery. Spring is here, and that’s more than a good enough reason to get outdoors. As I mentioned, restrictions are lifting! Why not make the most of it? Take advantage of what is open and available to you. So many of us haven’t left the house in months. It’s important to make that transition back to reality or normality or whatever it is we’re doing to feel like ourselves again. What were the social activities you used to love before lockdown? Or did you have any solo favourites? Rediscover what you’ve been missing; it might even be a day of self-care. Treat yourself!
5. Pray and or meditate. This tip may not cross the minds of some of you who read this, but never say never! 😉 If you’re not a spiritual person or even if you are, I would highly recommend meditation and or prayer. As a Christian, I know that my faith in God, through prayer and supplication, has helped me grasp a hold of the reality I’m living in. They may sound alien to some, but I know a lot of you can also relate.
Similarly, meditation helps to keep you grounded. You’re taking out a moment of your day to put your focus on something else. Maybe start by saying what you are thankful for or what you want to manifest in your future. The power of speaking things into existence is real, and the more you talk it out loud, the more the universe is ready to listen! Give it a try if you haven’t already. Who knows, it could be your new go-to.
If you have any more tips that have helped you through times of stress and anxiety, let me know!
Words By Seraphina 