3 Tips to Melt Stress Away
We all know that stress is going to occur in our lives no matter what. It’s how you deal with it that counts.
- What are you putting into your body?
Do you reach for the quickest energy fix from the vending machine at 3:00 pm everyday? While convenience is really helpful sometimes, planning ahead can help ease your stress!
According to this Harvard article, eating processed food have ill effects on the brain, changing our moods, how we react to stressors in life and can cause depression.
Here are the swaps to keep you energized throughout the day, and keep you from contributing to the stress in your body:
Chocolate bar –> Apple with peanut butter, carrots and hummus, or celery and cheese
Coffee –> Green tea
Chips –> Cheese and crackers
2. Incorporate stress busting activities in your life
Are you able to take a walk at lunch? Regular walking can decrease stress and feelings of anger and hostility.
Would your company be open to organizing a yoga class once a week for employees or having a masseuse brought in once per month?
Anything that can decrease your heart rate and release some feel good hormones will help relieve stress and better prepare you to respond to stress in the future.
3. Assess the culture and communication in your workplace
Does your workplace have an open door policy? Does it encourage and nurture communication and is open to positive feedback? Is it willing to change for the good of everyone? Is there chronic toxicity?
If you’re a boss, take a look at how much employees are heard and given consideration in the everyday processes and procedures of the business. Are they encouraged to give feedback on how things can be better, more efficient and make lives easier? This can be about work processes or how flexible employee work life is. Are there strict guidelines on when breaks can be taken, how personal appointments are met, or taking days off?
Sometimes huge changes can’t be made, but a little goes a long way. Encouraging vacation use and shutting off work email at 5:00 pm are small things, but can have big impact.
Taking time off can boost productivity and have lasting effects well after the vacation has ended.
We hope you can take these tips and reminders and start incorporating them into your weekly routines. We promise if you add in just one, you will start to feel the difference and the stress will be begin to melt away.
