5 Ways to Reduce Stress
May is a monster for me. As a teacher, I start to feel a giant “snow balling” of sorts that takes place as soon as May hits. My personal and work life seem to demand more and more of me and I find myself unhinged a bit. With the end of the school year in June, all loose ends have to be tied up into a perfect bow before summer and I find myself looking at a ton of time consuming tasks that leave me feeling STRESSED.
I use to hate admitting that things stressed me out. As a generally positive person, admitting that I felt stressed seemed like throwing in the white flag, admitting defeat, saying I couldn’t “handle” everything I took on. Now that I’m older, I realize that admitting to feeling stressed is actually the best thing you can do for yourself. Naming a problem is the first step to solving it!
Once I started admitting to feeling stressed it caused me to focus on the root of the problem and learn how to cope with my extremely busy schedule of teaching, participating in several music ensembles, blogging, being a wife…etc (I’m sure your list goes on and on too!)
Below I’m sharing 5 ways to reduce stress. These methods have helped me so much and I hope they will help you too! Please share what has helped you deal with stress in the comment box below as well!
1. Disconnect from your phone
Way easier said than done, but this is one of the most liberating things to try! Set a goal for yourself. ex: “I’m going to set my phone on the table and not look at it for 2 hours”. Again, easier said than done! At first you might actually feel anxious not being able to check Instagram, see if anyone has text you etc. BUT after the first 20 minutes or so you’ll find yourself so much more relaxed and able to focus on other tasks without getting distracted.
2. Get Outside
All the May flowers are in bloom-which gives you the perfect excuse to get outside! Being out in nature gives me a sense of greater purpose, especially being near the water. Make this destressing technique even better by leaving your phone at home while you head outside!
3. Try Yoga
Doing yoga doesn’t mean committing to joining a gym and paying copious amounts of $$$. Did you know there are so many incredible FREE yoga videos on Youtube? Andrew and I have been doing Yoga with Adriene for the past year and love how quick and effective her videos are. (Plus she has an adorable dog that sometimes makes an appearance!) Check out her 30 day yoga challenge videos below!
4. Journal
Who’s ever tried to start a journal and then given up the next week? (guilty!) Last year I did a 30 day journal challenge and pushed myself to STICK TO IT! What I found was that after the first 2 weeks it became such an important part of my daily schedule and I loved being able to reflect on my day. Sound like to much work? Try just writing a letter to yourself on a really stressful day!
5. Try Mindfulness/Meditation
I 100% recommend the app Headspace. It features short guided meditations that you can easily fit into your morning or evening routine. Check out their website HERE.
I hope you can try one of these 5 ways to reduce stress so you can enjoy all that spring has to offer
