10 Stress-Busting Musts (Part 2)

Hello! In a recent newsletter, I recounted that after 30 years of teaching professionals and students how to reduce their stress and anxiety, this remains the number one question I get after telling people what I do for a living:

"What's the best thing I can do to reduce my stress?"

I went on to offer my first five recommendations, promising another five in a future edition of The Chill Factory. Now, the time has come to complete this list of actions that enhance your ability to withstand the big, small, and often unpredictable stresses of life, regardless of who you are, where you live, or how much you earn.

6. Break

Take lots of breaks, even short ones. Why? Breaks interrupt the stress circuit and open the door to sharper focus, more energy, and an overall better feeling. They are the human equivalent of a race car pulling into a pit stop for refueling, air in the tires, a windshield cleaning, and other essential repairs needed to reach the finish line. Everyone needs breaks, so take them without guilt.

7. Get out

Whether it’s a 5-minute walk around the block, or a 5-day bike ride around the Grand Canyon, nature is a powerful stress reducer that’s accessible and affordable. Nature’s well-documented power to lower stress and anxiety, reduce blood pressure, alleviate sadness and depression, stimulate ideas and solutions, and many more benefits, makes it an essential tool for mental and physical health.

8. Do something fun

Having fun quickly blocks and reduces stress like few other things do, so come up with a fun activity and do it today. Then, do something else fun tomorrow and the next day... and every day. And to squeeze even more stress out of this fun thing, have it be something that makes you laugh.

9. Reach out

Don’t struggle alone. As challenging as it might feel to ask others for assistance, it’s a vital stress reducer and a route to ways out of your trying situation or mindset. The great news is that assistance comes in many forms, and a lot of it is free. Consider friends, relatives, helplines, counselors, or other sources for help, guidance, or simply as a stress-relieving outlet for your feelings.

10. Call or text 988

One place you can reach out 24/7, is the number 988, the free US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You do not have to be on the verge of harming yourself to call or text 988 — you can reach out when you wake up at 4AM feeling hopeless, or when you feel overwhelmed by a school or work project, or when you’re not sure how to deal with your very difficult 15 year old. 988 is only available to US and some Canadian callers, but similar resources exist in many other countries.

Here's the entire list of stress-busting musts which also makes for rich and productive discussions with clients, students and companions: https://www.thestresscoach.com/relax-now

Time for a break...outside-

Jordan

Let's talk about how our chill factory of stress and anxiety reducers can help your colleagues, students, clients and you. We've got speaker sessions, 1:1 stress coaching, chill apps customizable with your branding and resources, student mental health programs, courses that train you how to teach stress reduction techniques and much more. Learn more or message me here on Linkedin.