Written by: Kinga Zerhouni, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You enter the house after all day at work. The babysitter is already by the door waiting for you, so she can leave. The kids are screaming and running all over the house. You feel exhausted and wish for a moment of silence.
Can you relate to that?
Your stress level constantly stays elevated as you run from one activity to another.
That day-to-day stress is the one that usually impacts our health the most. The effects of stress are subtle at first. But over time, those symptoms start to show up more often.
Waking up tired, not being able to focus at work, and dealing with energy crashes at 2 PM are just some of the effects of stress on your body.
There are many relaxation techniques and strategies to relieve stress. But as you try to manage stress in your life, you most likely make these three common mistakes that sabotage your efforts.
1. You make stress management too complicated.
Many people think they need to make drastic changes to their schedule or lifestyle to reduce stress. This idea in itself can be stressful.
Stress is a big part of our modern lives. Getting stuck in traffic when you’re already late for work, dealing with deadlines, and after-school activities for your kids keep stress ever-present in your life. Eliminating it or even reducing it is not an easy task.
Taking a vacation may help temporarily, but stress catches up with you again after you are back. So, you try pushing through it, or you get stuck in the cycle of the never-ending search for stress management techniques.
If you want to manage stress effectively, you need to realize that how you see stress in your life matters.
Your perception of a situation usually determines if your stress gets activated or not. Being stuck in traffic can be stressful for one person but not so much for another. A person’s interpretation of this situation will determine the outcome.
Sometimes shifting your perspective can make all the difference. Can you see the situation from a different light? What are the worst-case scenario and the chances of it actually happening? Can you see any positives that may come up from this situation?
Shifting your perspective is the first step in managing stress in your life.
2. You don’t incorporate strategies to relieve stress often enough.
Do you consistently implement stress management techniques, or is it just once in a while activity?
The day-to-day stress is the one that creeps upon us, and if you don’t pay attention, you may end up burning out.
Therefore, you must implement stress-relieving strategies daily. This might be as simple as going for a walk or sitting in the sun for 15 minutes.
It’s not only about going to a spa, enjoying a bubble bath, or taking a vacation, though these are great ways to relax. You need to practice self-care every day to create a buffer against stress in your life.
Self-care is anything that you enjoy doing that helps you relax in a healthy way.
Moving your body and supporting it with healthy foods is also part of self-care.
So, find activities that you can easily incorporate into your daily life that help you create more balance.
3. You look for quick fixes that make you even more stressed.
When you are stressed out or tired, it is normal to look for easy and quick ways to relax and boost your energy. Unfortunately, some of those quick fixes can create more stress and even lead to unhealthy addictions.
Your body needs the energy to deal with stressful situations. That is why you tend to crave highly processed comfort foods rich in sugar and fats when stressed. These types of foods are a quick source of energy for the body. But they also create a vicious cycle of sugar rollercoaster, more cravings, and cortisol fluctuations.
That glass of wine you like to drink or a bag of chips you consume after a long stressful day can help you relax but may also lead to alcohol dependence or emotional eating over time.
So, what can you do to manage stress more effectively without making these three mistakes?
Start by evaluating how you see stress in your life. Do you tend to focus more on negatives or positives in your life? Practicing gratitude is a great way to counter stress.
Consistently incorporate simple self-care activities in your life. This could be as simple as going for a walk, watching a funny movie, or having a night out with your friends.
Support your body with healthy foods instead of highly processed sugary treats.
Focus on positive connections and your support system. When we are stressed, we usually look for comfort from other people. So, talk to your friend, hug loved ones, and get support from a community, a coach, or a therapist.
Are you at the point where chronic stress affects your well-being, making you feel tired and anxious? Check out my free resource on how to reverse the effects of burnout on the body. Get it HERE.
Kinga Zerhouni, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kinga Zerhouni is a Board-Certified Functional Wellness Coach helping women reverse burnout and fatigue naturally by following simple lifestyle changes designed to re-energize the body and mind. She wants to empower women to take charge of their health and find the root causes of their fatigue because feeling tired all the time is not normal. When she is not working with clients, you can find her spending time with her family taking nature walks and playing sports.
