The average workweek is longer than ever. No wonder why it seems like everyone is working themselves to death! This is a common complaint across the entire economic spectrum. Everyone from students to professionals with advanced degrees to tradespeople to CEOs claims our lives revolve around our work. Sure enough, we all deserve a moment of respite from the modern grind, although we can never totally escape from it. The consequences can be severe if we don?t manage our work-life balance. There is a 40% higher likelihood of suffering heart disease if you work over 50 hours a week. It’s true that work can take a heavy toll on our physical and emotional health. So, as much a possible, we will have to make sure we are not drowning under a wave of pressure. Stress, after all, leads to various long-term health conditions that worsen over time. Securing your health has become more important than ever. It?s best that you know how to take care of yourself and avoid letting stress derail your productivity and incapacitate you. All it takes is knowing how to keep yourself calm no matter what happens. So, let?s look at a few scientifically proven ways to rescue yourself from all the pressure.
1. Stop and rest
Indeed, the most obvious course of action to take is to walk away from a stressful situation. It doesn?t mean you?re surrendering. You only need to take a moment of your time to ease your mind and regain clarity. When you?re on a tight deadline at your desk and you?re suddenly asked to run side jobs by your supervisor, you might as well give yourself a short breather before you continue. You wouldn?t want to burn yourself out switching from one task to another.
2. Take a deep breath
Speaking of a short breather, it also helps to take deep breaths while you?re under a lot of pressure. One-minute breathing exercises are enough to keep you from succumbing to the amount of work you will have to do. Heavy breaths are also great for when you need to avoid more serious problems such as anxiety and asthma attacks.
3. Keep coffee intake to a minimum
For the modern office worker, a hot cup of joe is a staple. In other words, some people just can’t function without getting their first caffeine fix each morning. But as much as we deem coffee to be a productivity enhancer, drinking too much of it in a single day can actually lead to long-term health conditions that worsen stress, such as nervousness, insomnia, and hypertension. There are much better ways to lift your spirit at the office. Apples, for one, are packed with natural sugars that are not only healthy but can keep you awake without the unwanted palpitations!
4. Use herbal remedies
Aside from eating a healthy diet, another great way to keep yourself calm throughout the day is to use herbs that have far-reaching therapeutic effects. Look along the lines of lavender and kava, which are known to reduce anxiety by a large margin. Also, if you?re living in California and have a cannabis prescription, you might as well prepare cannabis-based tea. If you?re looking for dispensaries in your area, opt for those that offer a bud delivery service that?s convenient and, at the same time, affordable.
5. Enroll in a yoga class
It might sound cliche, but joining yoga classes are often the most effective means of reducing your stress and keeping anxiety at bay. For this, ask for recommendations from your friends and coworkers. Your company might also offer after-work fitness programs such as Zumba, Pilates, and, of course, yoga. The American Osteopathic Association has talked about the benefits of yoga recently.
6. Go on long walks
Aside from yoga, there are also other great and wholesome activities you can try out that can significantly reduce your stress levels. For one, you can try taking an early morning walk around the neighborhood. Not only will it help improve blood circulation, it will also put your mind at ease. Do this every day and you?ll be surprised how calm and confident you become.
7. Meditate
Do you often spend time overthinking until you paralyze yourself? If that is indeed the case, you might as well take the time to meditate. After your shift, retreat to a cozy hideout and empty your thoughts. This will help you purge stress and, more importantly, secure your well-being. Don?t bury yourself under a heap of stress anymore! Apply these tips to live a healthier and anxiety-free life!