Managing stress is very important for maintaining overall well-being. Chronic stress can lead to a range of health issues, including heart disease, weakened immune systems, sleep issues, and anxiety disorders.
For curiosity’s sake, I looked up some history on the word stress. The meaning of stress in the 14th century was used to describe adversity, hardship or affliction. I think this is in line with our understanding of stress in modern times. We experience stress from work, conflicts, not having enough time, not feeling good, etc.
Regardless of where you are now in your life- you can take these steps below to start feeling better today! So..let’s take a look at The 10 Ways to Reduce Stress in Your LIfe.
Get Moving Outdoors
I strongly believe that exercising outdoors is the #1 way to reduce stress. Physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, often referred to as the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals. These natural mood elevators can help alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Outdoor exercise also reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. I know I always feel more relaxed and in a better mood when I finish a hike or mountain bike ride.
With outdoor activity, you also get the benefits of being in nature! This is also known as ecotherapy, which has been widely studied. Being in green spaces promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, and has been shown to lower symptoms of depression. The sights, sounds, and fresh air found in natural environments provide a therapeutic setting for mental well-being.
Create
Being creative can be a powerful way to reduce stress, because you get to do something enjoyable and relaxing, and takes your mind off your worries. When you focus on creative activities, like drawing, painting, or even designing, your brain releases dopamine. Dopamine is often called the “reward” or “motivation” chemical. It’s released when we anticipate or achieve something pleasurable, like completing a goal, receiving praise, or experiencing excitement.
Creative tasks often require a state of “flow”—a fully immersed, focused state—where time seems to disappear. This immersion can decrease anxiety and even help regulate your breathing and heart rate, both of which are essential for stress relief. Plus, expressing yourself creatively provides an emotional release, allowing you to process and let go of some of your pent-up feelings.
My creative outlet is photography and Photo Editing. I am a Real Estate photographer, but I also have a hobby photo site that includes street photography, people, and urban landscapes.
Simplify
A common source of stress can be a result of having too much on our plate. One of the quickest ways to simplify your life is to truly evaluate where your time is going. The most effective way to do this is through a very quick exercise.
Okay- get a pencil and a pad of paper.
1) Write down what you value in your personal life.
2) Write down what you value professionally/work.
3) Next, write down absolutely everything you do within a 2-3 week timeframe. Even tasks like doing dishes, taking out trash- or getting coffee for your coworkers.
Now- compare both of these lists against what you value. If you are truly honest with your values and the things you do within a 2-3 week time frame, this should be eye opening.
You will be able to see those areas that you are spending time on that you don’t value. For instance- let’s say going shopping at the mall is something you do every week. But saving money and staying fit are two of your values. There is incongruency here… You’ll experience less stress if you stopped going to the mall and went hiking instead.
For work- perhaps you value learning and growing your skill set. Yet- you identify the pattern of being given monotonous work and no opportunities for growth. This situation could be stressful because perhaps you have anxiety that you will be replaced by someone else.
These examples may not exactly fit your situation, but you get the picture. Do you see how this simple exercise can be life changing??
Manage Your Time Better
Once you simplify your life and get your values in line with how you spend your time, then you can improve your time management.
When we do not manage our time effectively, tasks build up which can lead to being overwhelmed. Then, this could lead to feelings of inadequacy if procrastination sets in. As a result, we feel rushed, anxious, and under constant pressure.
On a physiological level, stress triggers the release of cortisol; this is a hormone that heightens the body’s fight-or-flight response. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and even burnout. Thus, it becomes clear that poor time management doesn’t just cause stress—it sustains it, creating a vicious cycle of pressure and inefficiency.
The Eisenhower Box Method is an excellent strategy to get poor time management under control. Named after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this prioritization tool will help you to differentiate between tasks that are urgent and those that are important, helping you to focus on the most impactful work.
Day planners and calendars are very traditional, yet reliable resource for managing time. These tools offer a tangible and structured approach to organizing tasks, setting deadlines, and creating routines. This in turn helps to reduce your stress, enhance productivity, and improve work-life balance.
I personally use a Franklin Covey Planning System. I work from a Main List- which includes projects/on going tasks. Then- I look at my calendar for a week out and schedule blocks to work on my projects. My projects are work related to writing and my photography. The afternoon is when I attend to the smaller rocks- emails, call backs, etc.
Sleep
Getting a good night’s rest can significantly reduce stress because quality sleep helps the body and brain recover from the days challenges. When you sleep well, your body lowers levels of cortisol, and has time to repair cells, regulate mood-related chemicals, and reset your immune system. This makes it easier to cope with daily stressors, maintain better emotional balance, and stay resilient.
Also, sleep is important for cognitive function; it boosts focus, memory, and decision-making, so you’re better equipped to manage stressful situations. On the other hand, a lack of sleep can make you more reactive and emotionally vulnerable, which can increase stress. Prioritizing good sleep is one of the best ways to handle and reduce stress effectively.
Eat Healthier
Eating healthier can reduce stress because nourishing foods support the body’s energy levels, mood, and resilience to stress. Certain nutrients directly impact brain function and mood regulation, like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and magnesium.
Eating salad, nuts, seeds and whole grains give your body vitamins and minerals that help the body produce serotonin- this is a “happiness” chemical.
Processed foods are loaded with sugar and unhealthy fats. This can cause physical stress by leading to inflammation. Replacing processed foods with whole foods will help your body to feel and function better.
Balanced meals that include protein, healthy fats and complex carbs will help to keep blood sugar stable and prevent mood swings and energy crashes. Ever notice after lunch you crave chocolate or some other type of sugar?
Finally, you want to support your brain health. Omega-3’s are in fish and flaxseed and antioxidants are in fruits and vegetables. Both of these will help to reduce inflammation, and support healthy brain function.
Meditate
In case meditation is a new concept for you, it’s simply a way to help people focus your attention and achieve a heightened state of awareness.
This involves sitting in a relaxed position, clearing your mind of negativity and focusing on your breath or on a sound like “ooommm”. The goal is to get your mind to stop following every new thought that pops up.
Meditation can result in a shift of consciousness and has been shown to have health benefits. One of course being that it reduces stress!
The body’s response to stress can cause the body to react in ways that prepare you to fight or flight (run). In extreme danger, this is helpful of course. However, prolonged states of stress causes physical damage to the body (as noted above).
Meditation takes a pro-active approach to stress- this practice triggers the body’s relaxation response and restores the body to a calm state. This aids the body in healing itself and repairing the damage from the physical effects of stress.
Deep Breathing
With deep breathing, you can activate your sympathetic nervous system which controls your body’s response to a perceived threat. Your breath is a powerful way to ease stress and make you feel less anxious.
Breathing is an automatic function that is controlled by the respiratory center of the brain. When we are feeling stressed, our breathing patterns and rate change as part of the “fight-or-flight” response.
Someone who is anxious will take small & shallow breaths and will not use their diaphragm to move air in and out of their lungs. This kind of breathing interrupts the balance of gases in the body.
A few easy breathing exercises can make a big difference if you make them part of your regular routine.
Before you get started on your breathing exercises, keep these tips in mind:
- Choose the best location where it’s quiet. This could be your living room, bedroom or in your comfortable office chair.
- Try to do the breathing exercises the same time once or twice a day.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
Many breathing exercises take only a few minutes. When you have more time, you can do them for 10 minutes or more to get even greater benefits.
Here is a breathing exercise:
With this technique, you’ll learn how to take bigger breaths from your abdomen (your stomach is part of your abdomen).
- Start by getting comfortable. Lie on your back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under your head and knees. Or, sit in a chair that has solid support for your shoulders, head, and neck.
- Breathe in through your nose. Let your abdomen fill with air.
- Breathe out through your nose.
- Place one hand on your stomach and place the other hand on your chest.
- On the in breath, feel your stomach rise. On the out breath, feel your stomach lower. The hand on your stomach should move more than the one that’s on your chest.
- Take three more full, deep breaths. Breathe fully into your tummy as it rises and falls with your breath.
Get Together with Friends
Life is more fun when you can share it with other people! Friends can provide a great outlet for stress relief! One of the ways is through laughter. If you are have good friends, then there’s no doubt that you joke and have fun. Laughing is very good for you; it improves mood, reduces anxiety, and even boosts your immune system.
Research has shown that when you laugh, endorphins are released into your brain. As noted earlier, these feel good hormones drastically reduce stress.
Studies have indicated that people with strong social ties are less likely to be depressed and have lower amount of cardiovascular diseases than people with fewer friends.
Researchers found that people with solid friend relationships had significantly lower levels of stress. This in turn keeps their immune system healthy and reduces the mental and physical symptoms of stress.
Talking to people you trust is also a great outlet for stress. If you keep stuff bottled up inside and have no one to talk to you, it can be like a volcano. Eventually, the volcano erupts because of too much pressure. This is when people have nervous breakdowns!
So as you go through those difficult times in your life, friends can help you tremendously!
Finally, with friendships or close personal relationships with loved ones, physical touch also provides another avenue for stress relief. A Study from, PLuS One found that hugging relieves negative emotions like stress. Love is a powerful way to counteract stress and anxiety.
Practice Gratitude
Now for the last one, Yeah, easy for you to say -some of you might be thinking! This actually has been one of the most profound, yet difficult lessons for me to learn & implement. The idea is to “feel” positive, wealthy, etc (fill in your blank), even if it’s not your current reality.
When we are negative- the universe brings us more negativity. The body and mind are one- they are intertwined. Due to this, Negative emotions that start in our mind can be very detrimental on our body. Stress being one of them.
Through gratitude- you are countering the stressors in your life and focusing on the positive instead. Practicing gratitude (being thankful for what you already have) involves focusing on the positive even in the face of negative events.
You can see the good in difficult people and appreciate what you have even when you’re facing a loss.
If being positive doesn’t always come natural to you, there’s great news! Gratitude can be cultivated with practice. The brain is a muscle and can be strengthened towards a positive mindset if you work at it.
This helps you to see your stressors in a new light. Perhaps you faced a job loss and now you don’t know what to do. By looking at the positive- you could get a fresh new start. Maybe you transition into a different career and do something you’ve always wanted to do.
Of course if you need something right away due to your financial state, you can work your day job and then make a very clear plan and set goals to get the career/business of your dreams.
You can accomplish being more grateful through gentle reminders. When you notice yourself griping about a negative event or situation in your life- right away think of 4 or 5 related things for which you are grateful. For instance, If you are having trouble with a sibling- think of other family relationships that ARE working.
Summary- The 10 Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life
If you have been feeling a lot of stress in your life, then I hope you are able to implement some of these tips, if not all of them!
Moving your body outdoors activates the release of “feel good” hormones and being in nature helps to calm your nerves and nourish your soul. Being creative puts you into a flow state, keeps your mind off your worries and aids in releasing dopamine. This reward chemical will help to form new pathways and help you stay with creative activities.
Identifying your values and then comparing this to how you spend your time is the fastest way to simplifying your life. Once you have your values set, prioritize your projects and tasks and then schedule accordingly. Meditating and deep breathing helps to calm your nervous system and keeps cortisol levels low.
Spending time with friends is a great outlet so your troubles don’t stay bottled up inside you. Laughing with friends will reduce anxiety and boost your immune system. Good nutrition is important for brain health, lowers inflammation and provides the right nutrients to your body. Finally, being grateful keeps you from dwelling on what isn’t working in your life and keeps you in a positive state of mind.
What are your thoughts on these 10 Ways to Reduce Stress? Are there others that you practice? Would love to hear your comments!