4 Ways to Instantly Reduce Stress
It’s spring and while it’s beautiful and sunny outside, sometimes it’s not all rainbows and unicorns on the inside. And by inside, I mean inside of you.
You’re stressed out.
And for good reason.
You’re feeling pulled in all directions. When you’re at work, you feel guilty because you think you should be at home. When you’re at home, you are thinking about work – even working at home once the evening activities are done.
You’re in charge of getting kids to soccer practice, dance competitions and voice lessons.
You’re the social secretary for your family, the bookkeeper, the transportation director, the meal planner (who am I kidding – what plan?), the special occasion organizer, the income producer – need I go on?
And don’t even get me started on where you put self-care on your never-ending To Do list!
Can you even remember the last time you didn’t feel stressed?
May is Mental Health Awareness month and I’ve got a couple of shocking stats for you.
According to the American Institute of Stress, stress and burnout are rising dramatically, affecting one million people every day and costing the US workplace $300 billion annually.
An estimated 225 million days of work are lost annually due to stress-related absenteeism.
And when you’re losing that many days, you know your team isn’t being productive.
And no wonder! We’re expected to answer texts, emails and yes even the scarce phone call every freakin’ day of the year.
And that’s not all.
Substance abuse has risen at an alarming pace and we now have the highest anxiety and depression rates ever in our country.
OK – enough of the Debbie Downer stats.
Now that I have your attention and before you reach for that 2nd or 3rd glass of wine, listen to me.
You don’t have to live like this anymore.
You can change this.
Here’s where to start:
- Get outside. Take a walk or a run. Commune with nature. Clear your head and fill your lungs with fresh air. It’s Spring – notice the birds chirping, the flowers blooming and the green all around you. Whether you start your day, end your day or add it to your day, getting your nature fix will help reduce your stress levels.
- Slow down. I know this contradicts what you may believe you need to do. Afterall, you are a high-achieving woman. AND-pausing is going to reduce your stress while helping you show up in a way that you want. When you take the time to pause, you can formulate your responses rather than reacting in the moment. Pausing gives others a chance to share their input, too.
- Breathe. Yes, I know you think you do this already, but hear me out. Breathing – the slow deep kind, in through your nose and out through your mouth – helps to calm your brain so you can think clearly. It helps calm your body so your shoulders can lower and your jaw can unclench. I teach this type of breathing to my executive coaching clients and they are amazed by the results they get.
- Set boundaries – with others and yourself. You know that feeling you get when you aren’t honoring a value or boundary? Not pleasant by any means. Stop allowing your boundaries to get stepped on. Stand in your power, knowing that some people aren’t going to like it – and that’s OK. Living your life by walking on egg shells isn’t living and it’s definitely exhausting. Own who you are. Own the value you provide. Own your worth – as a human being -not for what you “do”. When you show up like this, people will see you differently. You will see you differently. Draw the line. Be firm. Know what you’ll do if your boundary isn’t respected – then do it. You’ll be so proud! (and so will I).
There are many more ways to reduce your stress – more than I can cover here, and I wanted to give you some things you can put into practice now and see results right away.
When I work with high-achieving women in leadership roles, one of the very first things we do is start to unpack what life looks like on a daily basis and what changes need to be made. 98% of the time, we start with tuning in to that inner wisdom we all have, but seldom can hear.
When is the last time you asked your inner wise self what is best for you? I bet it’s been a while.
Maybe you’ve forgotten about her.
Maybe you don’t know where to find her.
Schedule a call with me today and let’s talk about how stress is affecting you in your current role and how it’s bleeding into your personal life.
Oh and as a bonus for you and to get you going right away, I want to share my free guide that will help you start and stay centered and reduce your stress levels all day long. Trust me on this – it works. I’ve been doing it for over 16 years and I feel more equipped to handle whatever comes my way.
I was talking with an executive woman the other day about coaching and she was having a difficult time deciding whether to start now or wait. She said, “I was talking with my husband this week about how exhausted and frustrated I am and he said, ‘honey, you have to put your oxygen mask on first.’ I know I should, I just don’t know if now is the right time.”
Really.
When you’re drowning, do you ask if now is the right time for a life preserver?
ahead of our own needs – even when we’re drowning.
I’m accepting one new private client in the next 30 days.
If you can relate to this, then by all means, schedule a call with me today so we can talk about what’s happening in your world.
My mission is to help you reconnect with your higher, wiser self.
Isn’t it time you do you?