tips to help manage stress

I think its safe to say we're collectively all under an elevated amount of stress at the moment. No matter where you live or what you do for work this virus is impacting your life. Every day I wake up wondering if this will be the day I lose my job; it's hard to justify paying meeting planners when you can't put on any meetings. I'm not so worried that I'll catch it and die, but I am worried about my grandmother and in-laws that fall in the high risk age range, not to mention my family members that work in health care.

Hopefully you're not feeling the same anxiety I am on a daily basis, but if you are I wanted to share a few tips to help manage stress. I want to stress that I am in no way an expert and these are just small things that work for me. If you're really having a hard time I recommend talking with an expert.

1. Don't look at your phone once you go to bed - This has made the biggest impact on me and managing my stress during this time. I found myself scrolling twitter and reading all the depressing news stories each night which then caused me to not be able to fall asleep. Once I get in bed I only touch my phone to make sure my alarm is set for the next morning.

2. Watch a favorite movie - There are some movies that just instantly make me feel better Elf, Moana, Sweet Home Alabama. Watching one of these instantly helps melt my stress. If you're not a big movie fan put on your favorite television series or open a good book. The idea is to transport yourself somewhere else to forget about real life.

3. Make a daily to-do list - Each night before I go to bed I try to think of 3 things I'm going to do the next day. These are usually easy things like drink 3 of my yeti's of water or set the table for dinner or take the dog for a walk. This way I have an easy set of activities to redirect my attention when I start feeling stressed. This also helps because part of what's causing the stress is that everything is out of my control, so this is allowing me to control something.

4. Look for the silver lining - I start each day thinking about either 3 positives or 3 things I'm thankful for. Then whenever I start to feel anxious or stressed I just remind myself of these. Some examples are spending more time at home with my husband and dog, saving money on gas, or all the movies available on Disney+

5. Indulge in some self-care - Paint you nails, light a candle, turn on a calming playlist and drink some wine, put on a face mask. Do whatever little thing feels indulgent and calms you. You deserve it!

6. Let it out - Sometimes the only way to feel better is to let it all out. Have a good shower cry or post a rant on Facebook. Letting all the negativity escape is sometimes the only way to get rid of it.


What are your tips to help manage stress?