When stress hits, you feel it with every muscle and breath, whether it’s caused by work pressure, looming deadlines, money problems, or global situations that are out of our control – like the pandemic of the past 2 years or Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Stress finds a way to grow exponentially if you don’t take some time to reflect. When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to get irritated more quickly or cause unnecessary arguments. Productivity also drops exponentially, slowing you down and causing – unfortunately – even more stress. It may take a little time at first, but it’s absolutely essential to break the cycle and calm down.
At AILend, we put the well-being and health of our colleagues first, so we make sure to check in with each other from time to time to make sure we’re grounded and share tips with each other on how to live and work healthier. Below are some of our favorite techniques we use to calm down and relax. We hope they work for you too :)
Focus on your accomplishments 🔓
Think of a time when you did something that was really hard and yet you still managed to do it. That feeling of “I’ve faced harder things than this and I did it” can be incredibly powerful. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to take a step back for a second and gain perspective, which we rarely do. If that doesn’t work, try putting on a smile. Studies show that smiling makes it easier to cope with a stressful situation.
Read a book 📖
When the heat gets too high, we all want to escape. A book is a perfect way to take our mind off the “heat.” There is no need for an internet connection, which allows you to disconnect from your phone, emails, social media, which are great conductors of stressful situations. Stories that have nothing to do with your work or life allow you to give your brain and anxiety a break, and also make you feel better about how you are spending your time.
Meditate 🧘
Don't know where to start? There are endless resources on the internet or free mobile apps that will guide you through the entire experience. By meditating for a few minutes every day, studies show that not only the mind, but also the body relaxes completely, which allows stress to go away. Will you get stressed again? Of course. But, at least, the intensity of the stress decreases and lasts for less time.
Take a step back 🚶🏽♀️
The first moment you feel stress take over, focus on your breathing - usually at such moments your breathing is rapid and shallow. By taking a deep breath, you will immediately notice the difference. If you can, you can take a short break to distance yourself from the situation. You can use the break to take a short walk, dance, enjoy a favorite food, or meet someone close to you. Often, simply taking a step back helps us see things from a different perspective. When you stop controlling something (or someone), things fall into place.
Organize your day 📅
One of the biggest sources of stress is being late. To avoid this source of anxiety, make sure to give yourself time between meetings by organizing your calendar well. This can apply both at work and in other situations - such as traveling. Creating free spaces during the day so that meetings are not back-to-back can help reduce the anxiety that comes with having to change the topic of discussion, meeting location, or method of contact on the fly.