12 Little Habits to Reduce Your Stress

Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we will learn 12 Little Habits to Reduce Your Stress. Now, let’s begin. It’s no secret that we live in stressful times. Whether you’re bogged down by political discourse, cultural strife, economic pressures, work troubles, or family issues… everyone is feeling the strain. But life must go on, and we must find new and creative ways to approach our day with a positive attitude and hope for the future.

No matter how little control you may have over your external stressors, what you do have control over is how you react to them. Take your time, be mindful, and set realistic expectations for yourself and others. By prioritizing self-care, you can build a healthy personal foundation for tackling any challenge. So, without further ado, here are 12 little habits to reduce your stress.

1. Take a Breath

If you feel like your heart is pounding and thoughts are racing, the best thing you can do is hit pause – literally and figuratively. Take a breath. Remove yourself, however briefly, from the situation.

Step back. End your conversation. Go outside. Move your body. Center yourself. Put your problems into perspective, remember that life will go on, and nothing is permanent. As you continue taking deep breaths, return and try again. Breathing is not only crucial to life, but also has a significant impact on how we approach the world.

2. Adjust Your Diet

The food you eat fuels your system – and can impact how well, or not well, it’s running. Maintaining a healthy diet can help minimize stress. Healthy living helps your body operate at peak performance.

Cultivate a diet rich with lean proteins, leafy greens, whole grains, and healthy fats. Of course, don’t be afraid to occasionally indulge – it will give you a little jolt of joy! Just keep everything in moderation. Limit your caffeine consumption.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is both a state of being and an approach to the world. It refers to living fully in the present moment, free from the regrets of the past and anxieties about the future. This practice keeps you centered in your physical body and helps clear your brain of intrusive, upsetting thoughts.

Establishing a regular practice, even when you’re feeling good, will prepare you to face more challenging moments when they arise later. Daily meditation teaches you to sit quietly and notice – and release – upsetting or annoying thoughts. If you want to enrich your mindfulness practice, you might want to explore 19 Meditation for Peace, Clarity, and Abundance.

4. Keep a Journal

It’s no secret that some of our greatest thinkers and leaders were also avid notetakers, who left their journals for future generations to pore over. But journaling is about more than just preserving your personal legacy. It is also a wonderful way to manage stress. Writing down your thoughts can help you organize them, leading to fewer feelings of stress.

Try writing a daily to-do list, which will help you get all the stressful pending tasks out of your head and onto paper, freeing your mental energy. A daily gratitude list puts your problems into perspective and reminds you to appreciate both the big and little things that make life worth living.

5. Laugh

One surefire way to feel less stressed is to simply stop taking things quite so seriously. Yes, the world may sometimes feel like it’s on fire… but it’s still up to us to find the glimmers of joy peeking through. Laughing is how you express your delight, but did you know that the physical act can also make you feel better too?

For a quick hit of joy, look up a cute or funny video online – dog and cat videos are always a great option to keep that serotonin flowing. Or call up a friend who you know is there for a good time. You can commiserate and put life’s problems in perspective together.

6. Get Moving

Many of us hold our stress inside of ourselves – hunching our shoulders, clenching our hips, and gritting our teeth. The more you move, the more you can free yourself from that physical tension. Getting the recommended 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise can help you maintain your mobility and improve your strength and cardiovascular health.

Practicing yoga or taking a daily walk is a fun, mindful, and rewarding way to stay in shape. Doing chores and lifting objects around your home can boost your strength. Or if you want something more vigorous, there are plenty of free cardio and dance exercise videos online for you to choose from.

7. Enjoy Nature

Fresh air and sunshine will do your spirit a world of good. Take time every day to enjoy a little bit of nature’s beauty and serenity. Studies have shown that being outside for just 20 minutes a day can boost feelings of wellbeing and lower anxiety.

Getting out into the world helps put your problems into perspective and can jolt you out of the stresses of your everyday indoor routine. Instead of staying in and binging TV this weekend, go for a hike instead.

8. Connect with Others

Humans are innately social creatures. Even the most introverted among us can find total solitude disorienting and isolating. Make sure you are taking time to connect with family, friends, and your community. Cultivate deeper relationships with people who make you feel like the very best version of yourself.

If you’re looking to make new connections in your community, try volunteering and giving back. Altruistic endeavors are proven mood boosters as they give you confidence and purpose, and they’re also a great way to connect with local like-minded people you might never meet otherwise.

9. Get Enough Sleep

When you’re having a dilemma, has anyone ever told you to just “sleep on it?” There’s a reason for that! Sleep is vitally important to our ability to function. It is the time when our bodily functions rejuvenate and our brain forms memories.

Try to go to bed and get up at approximately the same time every day to train your body for rest. Do relaxing activities like reading before bed and limit your screentime. Make sure your bedroom is calm, cool, and organized.

10. Enjoy Your Hobbies

Hobbies are a great way to combat stress. Our personal pursuits remind us of all that we love about life. While work and family commitments are important and inevitable, there’s more to life than the “have to’s.” Make sure you incorporate the “want to’s” as well, to live a fully engaged existence.

Find one or two things that make you happy, that you can do for at least a few minutes a day, with no goal in mind other than your personal satisfaction and pleasure. Make time for you! Try a new creative pursuit like painting, sewing, crafting, or playing an instrument.

11. Put Down Your Phone

I promise you – your phone is stressing you out. Put it down. While modern technology has been a gift in terms of our ability to communicate and access information at any time or place, it brings with it a curse of addiction, obsession, and stress.

Limit your social media intake. If you find that you can’t, try removing the apps from your phone for just one week. Set your notifications to “do not disturb” at key moments during the day so that you can sit quietly with your thoughts uninterrupted.

12. Ask for Help

If life is truly overwhelming, there is no shame in seeking help. None of us were meant to struggle alone. The more time you spend fighting a solo uphill battle, the more isolated you become. Seek out connection and advice from a trusted friend or family member.

If that’s not enough, try seeking professional help to work through your problems. Talking it out can help you analyze it, and a professional can help guide you through coping techniques tailor-made for you. Remember, you are not alone, and you will get through this. The sun will always come up tomorrow.

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In summary, life’s inevitable hurdles can often seem daunting, but by adopting simple yet effective habits, you can navigate through stress with greater ease. Integrating these habits into your daily routine empowers you to reclaim your sense of peace and balance. Whether it’s through deep breathing, altering your diet, or reaching out for support, each small step can lead to a more serene and fulfilling life. Remember, the journey to reducing stress is an ongoing process, and being kind to yourself along the way is just as important as the habits you cultivate. So, embark on this path with patience and grace, knowing that every effort you make is a step toward a calmer, more centered you.

As found on YouTube