10 Fast Ways To Manage Stress

We all have stress. Some of us bring it on ourselves, some of us have it thrown at us by the morning commute, day at work or whatever else brings us plenty of anxiety and headaches throughout the day. Stress is not something people are immune to, it’s something that we have to learn to adapt to and manage. The more we allow it to impact our lives, the more wear and tear it brings.

One of the biggest problems with managing stress for people is that many of the solutions that we look into, end up creating even more problems. A common example of this is when you try to treat the matter with things like alcohol. Using a substance that’s addictive is never a good idea, especially because every time you have stress in your life, you’re going to want to rely on those substances to help calm things down.

Our Routines Can Create Stress Too

What few realize is that it’s often our routines or habits that lead to a lot of the stress in our lives. Think about your morning routine. You’re always feeling rushed to get to work. However, have you considered maybe waking up 15-30 minutes earlier? You would not be rushed in the morning and even if traffic is just as bad as you head to work, you have more time to get there so you are not worried about being late.

Fast Ways To Manage Stress

Like everyone else, you want to fix the problem as quickly and as easily as possible. That’s fair and there are simple but effective ways to start managing your stress. Even if you have tried these in the past, consider giving them another try with the mindset of wanting to make them work rather than just hoping they work.

1. Breathing: The majority of books, blogs, brochures and anything else you read about managing stress is going to start with breathing exercises. That’s because these tactics not only work, but they work quickly. Simply focusing on your breathing for a couple of minutes can help you reduce your stress levels.
2. Exercise: While you may not have time to hit the gym, a quick walk around the building or doing some yoga in your office may be just what you need to get away from the headaches of the day and calm your mind. 
3. Reading: People tend to get overwhelmed with work and grabbing your phone or a book and reading a favorite poem or line may be the very thing that calms you down. One of the reasons for it is because by reading, we are making our minds focus on something else and if it’s something we have an interest in, it can offer a real calming effect.
4. CBD: One of the newer options that people are trying is the use of CBD products. These products are non-habit forming and may help to take the edge off your stress, especially if you are at work. These products are becoming more popular for those who are trying to stop smoking and need something to replace cigarettes.
5. Music: Calming music can help you calm down from stress in less than five minutes. Some people make the mistake of listening to aggressive sounding music to try and relax. Unfortunately, what that does is make your mind and body more alert, forcing your stress levels to increase, not decrease.
6. Video games: Believe it or not, games that can be played on phones and computers in less than a 10 minute period are believed to be amazing at helping people relax and calm down. Many believe it’s because of the shortened period of the game that allows the user to focus solely on it and because it is shorter, people are able to play them throughout the day and not have to worry about getting gaming consoles or finding the time to play.
7. Chewing gum: Often, when we feel overwhelmed it’s because we are experiencing something from our normal routine and our minds are trying to play catchup. You have to occupy a part of yourself to calm things down and staying focused on multiple things at once can help do that. Chewing gum has been known to help people become calmer drivers, eat less, smoke less and more because it allows them to physically address their mood while not having to indulge in something that’s unhealthy.
8. Laughing: One of the easiest ways to get in a better mood is to grab your phone and either start texting some friends or pull up some videos from your favorite television shows. Whatever you can do to get laughing, do it because laughter is one of the best ways to help people calm down and feel better, especially when feeling overwhelmed.
9. Research interests: What interests you that you can learn more about? Do you like fishing, following the stock market, reading a particular series of books or something else? Researching your hobbies and interests, especially by reading something on your phone or watching videos can also help you calm down because your mind knows that it needs to focus on the content that you are giving it. That content, because it is related to something you’re interested in, will pull more of your attention and help you to feel more relaxed.
10. Build out a list: Did you know that making a list can calm things down? Really, making a list of things you have to do, vacation places you want to visit, your groceries or anything else can help you calm down.

There are literally dozens of safe and effective ways to reduce your stress, quickly and they can be done whether you are at home, work or somewhere else. Consider using these tricks and never hesitate to talk to a medical professional if you feel that the stress is becoming too much.