How To De-Stress And Clear Your Mind
Been finding yourself feeling stressed out and run down? With winter looming (cue seasonal affective disorder) and a second lockdown pending (cue anxiety and depression), learning how to de-stress in the middle of a pandemic has never been, well, more stressful. It can often feel like no book, Netflix movie or TV series in the world can quite help you to switch off - and that’s fine, I mean, what did you expect living through history to feel like? Stressing out about finding ways to de-stress no doubt defeats the object of 'de-stressing', but it’s a fact, it’s real and you never (ever) get taught what the f*ck to do when the world is in utter chaos. To help eliminate at least one stress, we’ve created a list of some of the best ways to de-stress. Because going on a run in the pouring rain isn’t everyone’s best way to de-stress, right? Whether you’re looking to turn on the out of office button whilst you work from home, or are in need of some healthy ways to de-stress at work, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite de-stressing tips.
1. Meditate
If you’ve been wondering how to de-stress yourself, then meditation can be an easy and effective ritual to embed into your daily routine. As one of our favourite techniques to de-stress, we love adding a simple meditation into our morning regime. So whether you’re making your morning bev, or have a long commute ahead of a busy day, focussing on something deeply can remind you that you are in the moment. Forget Zoom calls and meetings, be sure to practice mindfulness throughout your day to help soothe and calm whatever it is that's taking up space in your mind. This could be as simple as observing the colours of the leaves on the trees as they transition into Autumnal hues, or watching the tea bag brew when it’s your turn to make drinks in the office.
2. Practice Breathing Exercises
As one of our top ways to de-stress yourself at work, breathing can be a totally simple way to do whilst sitting at your desk or on your lunch, because technology can really be a b*tch sometimes. If you're working from home and don’t have the usual banter floating around the office (yes, your colleagues are important), then breathing exercises can be a healthy way to de-stress when things begin to feel a little overwhelming. Whether it’s a deadline you’re worried about, or an off-handish email, we recommend the 4-7-8 breathing method for calming that initial panic. This is one of the best ways to de-stress and includes inhaling for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds and finally breathing out for 8. This is a great trick to help reduce stress and anxiety! Repeat between 2 to 4 times for maximum results!
3. Writing/Journaling
Got too much on your mind and struggling to de-stress? If you prefer more creative ways to de-stress then writing or journaling can be a really effective outlet. Whether you’re journaling with drawings or prefer to organise and express your feelings in writing, it’s a super simple way to de-stress. Invest in a brand new notebook, order a few sets of pens, colours and highlighters (if you’re extra creative) and dedicate some time to writing in your journal. No, it doesn’t have to be cringe like “Dear Diary” you had when you were 12, but whether it’s personal, work-related or life-related (we hear you), learning how to de-stress yourself through writing can have a massive impact on your happiness and wellbeing. After all, there’s a reason why people do it!
4. Exercise
Let’s be honest, exercise is usually the least you wanna do when you’re feeling stressed and/or depressed, but it always seems to be widely encouraged, and there's a good reason for that. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise then that the release of endorphins triggered by exercise can totally reset your mindset. Channelling your energy into something productive like taking a walk with your dog, going on a hike, running, or grabbing a few friends for a socially distanced court game such as badminton can be a good way to de-stress. With the days slowly becoming shorter, definitely take more breaks when you work from home. Say yes to that afternoon walk even if it’s raining (just take a damn umbrella) and prepare to *actually* have a breather.
5. Sleep!
Recently named as Netflix’s biggest competitor, it’s probably important to mention that sleep is one of THE best and most important ways to ensure you feel good. Backed by science, sleep is essential for maintaining good mental and physical health as it is responsible for regulating mood and impacts how well respond to stress. Good, right? Getting anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep per night can leave you feeling more productive, patience and help you respond better to high-stress situations (such as when your wifi goes down in that all-important meeting).
Feel like you know how to de-stress and clear your mind? If you’re still unsure, it’s strongly encouraged that you to seek solace in things that provide comfort. Take a bath, jump into your comfies and call on a friend, because a problem shared is a problem halved - seriously!