Dealing with stress: 5 tips

Stress is part of our lives. Everywhere and always there are triggers that can cause us to experience stress. And that's fine. However, prolonged stress causes health problems. Reason enough to deal with it properly.

This is what happens to your body when you stress less

• Clear thinking and thoughtful decisions: Tension can cloud your thinking and undermine your emotional stability. When feelings subside, you experience mental clarity and can make better decisions. Your ability to analyze situations objectively improves, which is beneficial to your professional and personal life.
• Reduced risk of health problems: Feeling stressed for long periods of time can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and mental illness. Reducing stress, reduces the risk of these conditions and promotes a longer, healthier life.
• Be proactive: Stress can be paralyzing, leaving you feeling stuck. When stress levels decrease, you tend to be more proactive. You feel more in control of your life and have the energy to pursue goals and take on challenges.
• Positivity: A stress-free life leads to a more positive mindset. You experience more joy, gratitude and resilience. Positive emotions not only improve your quality of life, but they also have a beneficial effect on your relationships and social interactions.

5 Tips to experience less stress

Tip #1: Saying 'No' reduces tension

An important part is learning to say no - without guilt - more often. For example, have you ever kept track of how many times you get interrupted during a workday? Or the excess offer of extra assignments and not daring to turn them down? Even if at first you think it won't be too bad, these situations can cause unnecessary tension. Before you know it, you get tangled up in your schedule. Learn more about this in our blog.

"Tomorrow is another day." Can you feel the tension rising? Repeat this thought several times. This will help reduce the pressure you are putting on yourself.

Tip 2: Get a good night's sleep

Did you know that insufficient sleep can be a cause of restlessness? With little relaxation and sleep, your body produces the stress hormone cortisol, which prevents your body from resting and processing the day's events. By darkening your bedroom, looking less at your smartphone before bed and getting enough exercise, you increase the chances of getting a great night's sleep.

Tip 3: Consciously take time for yourself

By enjoying moments of relaxation more often, you create more balance. Also in your private life. When you relax, you release any built-up tension, which gives you new energy to get back to work productively later. For example, enjoy that delicious cappuccino, get some fresh air or become aware of your breathing. It is the moments of relaxation that give your energy level a nice boost.

Tip 4: Keep the overview

Do you experience pressure at work as a challenge or feel like you are losing control? Any stress can be transformed by creating an overview for yourself. A "to do list" works for some people, but you may also replace it by naming and carrying out activities one step at a time. For example, you can do this by focusing on two goals. By not doing more than is on your (realistic) to-do list, you avoid setting the bar too high. This creates satisfaction, which gives you energy, instead of costing you energy.

Tip 5: Go for a walk

A short walk of just 10 minutes can improve your mental state quite a bit! And if you don't feel like walking, you can also meditate. In fact, research has shown that both walking and meditating can give you a big boost mentally.

So, if you want to improve your mental state, you no longer have an excuse! Go for a walk or meditate and see your mood improve immediately!

Try to let go of the daily hustle and bustle. By relaxing more and putting situations into perspective, you increase your chances of being as stress-free as possible.

Go easy on yourself. Whatever you do today, let it be enough

Want to learn more about personal development? Check out our programs on Coaching: Stress Management or our Workshop: Manage Your Stress