It is so crazy to me that we live in a world where stress is so… normalized. I remember my little sister coming home from school, when she was in Middle School, telling my family that she needed to start studying for the ACT. She wasn’t even fourteen years old and the school was putting that pressure on her for college. There are so many outside sources pressuring us these days. A lot of our stress also comes from within. As humans we expect a lot from ourselves, especially since we live in a culture where everyone is online sharing their lifestyle and accomplishments. It definitely turns up the stress, and the comparison game does not help.
I would like to say I manage and deal with my stress pretty well. I am still human, and have my hard days. Whether it’s my personal life, school, or work – there are a lot of triggers in my life that I have to work at. So here are my tips on how to firstly, manage stress, and secondly, deal with the stress we can’t control.
how I manage my stress
1. Schedule out my Days
This is something I have talked about a lot on my blog and Instagram. I actually did a full post that you can check out here all about how I plan my days! In that post I show you how I in-depth schedule my life. This definitely helps with stress because I know I am leaving time for things I NEED to do, plus I can see all my tasks in one place. I have also learned that it is okay to push things to the next calendar day if I need to!
2. Ask for Help
This is something my mom always preaches to me. If I tell her I am overwhelmed she always responds, “well why don’t you ask for help?” There are always two answers: I like to do things myself & I don’t want to burden other people. However, life is all about surrounding yourself with the best people possible and I have an amazing support system. So this is something I am trying to do more – because I know the people in my life want to help. My roommate actually just finished her schooling and I ended up hiring her to do some tasks for me until she moves back home. It has been a huge help and I am so thankful for her!
3. Learn to Say No
The best way to handle stress? DON’T TAKE ON TOO MUCH. As humans this is something we all struggle with. We want to say yes and we hate canceling on people. I am here today to tell you – it’s okay every once in awhile! Sometimes you need to be selfish with your time! Not everyone is going to understand, and that is okay.
4. Have a clean space
Another thing my mom has always preaches to me, clean space = clear head. She is so right! If I wake up to a clean room, I am so much more likely to feel calm and like I can take on my day. If I wake up to a messy space, I get so frustrated and know it’s just another thing I need to do. Taking the time to declutter and clean is so important! I have started scheduling out 15 minutes in the morning or evening to clean up so I am ready for my day!
5. Sleep
No I am not talking about taking a nap mid-day haha! Getting on a good sleep schedule is such an important way to manage stress. Getting too little sleep will make you tired and more stressed, and sleeping at weird times (such as sleeping until 10:00 a.m.) will make you feel less accomplished. Find a happy medium!
5. Get Help
Okey doke, I wasn’t sure if I was going to add this in, but it is different than asking for help – so I wanted to add it. Stress is a state of mind, so talking to someone or going to the doctor can be a huge source of help and relief for people who are too stressed. For a lot of people these days – especially the younger generations – stress causes anxiety (or anxiety causes stress haha). I know that if I am going through an anxious period, I have a hard time focusing. When I can’t focus, I get behind. When I get behind = I get stressed. Anxiety in general, or any bad mindset, causes stress – because it is something to add to our plate. There are so many resources and things you can do medically to help with stress and anxiety. Personally, I started taking medication my sophomore year of college for my anxiety. It wasn’t necessarily because of stress, but it helped a lot with that aspect. If you guys want to see a full post on that I can write one!
how I deal with my stress
1. Daily Mantras
I like to give myself daily, or weekly, quotes that keep me get in a good head space. Things I remind myself everyday are:
I am doing the best I can. It is okay to take a break. Not every day will be a win.
2. Get Active
I don’t want to just put “workout” on here – because some days I dread that word so much that it stresses me out haha! I did want to add “get active” to the list though. Because it is important! I could go on and on about the medical studies on what endorphins do to your brain, but honestly being active is just something I feel good about that I can cross off my list. It makes me feel accomplished, and it especially helps with stress if I workout outside! I have been trying to do something active everyday, even if it is a quick home workout!
3. Watch TV
You may be thinking, “no duh, Lauren! This is already what I do!” However, let me ask you this. Do you ever feel bad for sitting down and watching an episode of your favorite show? Do you feel like you should be doing something more productive? If so, I want you to stop those thoughts. Doing something you enjoy and not beating yourself up for it is an important and healthy way to deal with stress! Just don’t sit down and binge watch a whole season mid-day and you’ll be fine haha!
4. Meditate
Okay, here me out haha! This is something I have been doing on and off for some time now. My favorite is “Sleep Guided Meditation.” I really think it helps with stress and definitely relaxes me! Just don’t knock it until you try it!
5. Take a Shower & Get Ready for the Day
You probably though I was going to put “soak in a bubble bath” or something on this list. Which that is totally fine too! However, I specifically want to talk about the “getting ready” aspect of this tip. If you are in college or work from home/at a job that doesn’t require you to dress up, you may get in the rut of not getting ready for the day. However, I honestly always feel so accomplished and ready to take on my day when I take a nice shower and get ready! Same with taking a shower at the end of the day to unwind. There is something therapeutic about it haha!
6. Practice Your Own Version of Self Care
Sometimes the cliché face mask isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so find what makes you happy for a little self care. Whether it’s coloring, cooking, taking a bath, or reading a book! Find the time to do things for yourself!
I hope this post helps someone that needs it! I l0ve y’all!
xoxo,
Lauren Emily Lindmark
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