photo via lifehacker
5 Reasons You’re Stressed
Work
You office is under-staffed and you’re doing the job of 3 people. You end every day feeling more behind than you started and barely make time for anything other than work. Your friends and family have all given up on inviting you out because they assume you are always working.You’ve stopped mentioning how busy you are to your boss because he is equally as busy and doesn’t want to hear it.
Family
We love them, but we don’t always agree on everything!
Family can be a major stress in our life and until you learn to open up about your stress and talk to your family, expressing how you feel and what you need, the stress will only continue. Noticing what specifically sets you off and trying to avoid those situations will start to help manage your stress.
Lack of sleep
You fill your schedule so full that sleep is the last thing you have time for. The problem is, the less sleep you get the more your anxiety will increase. Sleep is essential to controlling your stress and should be moved to the top of your priority list.
Messy house/office
You might think that you are just a messy person and it doesn’t affect you, but I would argue that a disorganized office or home usually means a higher level of stress for you. You never know where to look to find anything, you are stepping over piles or digging through stacks of random stuff.
Spend a weekend doing an overhaul clean and then commit to keeping it tidy. Find a system that works for you, but find time to get organized!
Not enough ‘me’ time
Whether you are introverted or extroverted, I believe everyone needs ‘me’ time. Whether you run errands, go for an evening run or read a good book – spend quiet time with yourself. Allow yourself to unwind and think without noise clouding your mind. Stop filling your schedule and have nights where you stay at home and enjoy getting things done for you.
5 Ways to Beat Stress
Relax
Go to the spa, watch mindless TV, take a bath or go for a long walk. Find what gets you to relax and do more of that! If you’ve had a stressful day, be selfish with your nights and let your friends, family or husband know that you need to chill out.
Sleep
Go to sleep! Stop staying up working all night or watching endless reruns of Modern Family. Your body needs sleep more than your body needs anything else. Even as an adult I give myself bedtimes. No matter what I am doing I set a time and stop working at that time and go to bed. For the first week or so it might feel un natural to go to bed so early and you will lie in bed for hours awake counting sheep. Read a book, or picture yourself on your favorite beach, whatever your body needs to wind down and tell itself that it’s sleepy time!
Socialize
Laughing can cure all types of stress. If you find yourself working too much, schedule time with some of your favorite people and enjoy yourself. Don’t ever forget to have fun and by all means laugh!
Take vacations
Go somewhere new. Sit on a beach with a cocktail in your hand, listening to the waves crash against the sand. Just typing that I feel less stressed. Getting outside of your city and exploring
Exercise
This is a big one! Exercise releases endorphins which make you feel better and calm your body down. This has always been my stress release. If I go a few days without exercise I can feel my body tightening and the stress building. Although exercise might seem like more of a bother right now, start a routine and stick to it – soon your body will crave the exercise. It is addicting!
Learn to say NO
There is something therapeutic in learning to say no. Allow yourself to turn down invitations and free up your time for the 5 things listed above. You don’t need to be everywhere all the time, determine your priorities and say NO to everything else.