It’s a fact of life that we all experience stress in some form, either at work, at home, church, or on the athletic field. Challenge #15 is Healthy Stress Management! It’s reassuring that stress does not have to rule our life!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Healthy Stress Management is part of a 21 Week Health Challenge. You can jump in today or go back and revisit the other health challenges. Either way welcome to learning 18 different ways to manage stress in your life.
We can develop a healthy stress management plan and turn an every day occurrence into something beneficial for us.
I am not a master of stress management, just someone like you that needs reminders on to handle stress in a healthy way.
Healthy Stress Management Challenge
- Identify 18 ways to manage every day stress
- Challenge: Create and commit to your own stress management plan.
18 Healthy Ways to Manage Stress
Evaluate and prioritize commitments. We can NOT do it all and not get stressed. Prioritize what is most important and you’ll know how to say “yes” and “no”.
Exercise. Move your body! One of the simplest forms of exercise that helps our body relieve stress is walking. Walk for at least 20 minutes either inside your house, around your neighborhood or on a treadmill.
Rest. Sleep is a key component in how well we handle every day stress. Taking a 15 minute power nap has shown to give your brain and body a boost to tackle the remainder of your day.
Limit social media and the latest news reports. Both social media and “News” have been known to add a little drama to life. Simplify your life and limit what you listen to, read, and watch.
Express yourself in writing. No poetry needed here, just a journal and writing utensil! You can journal about your daily thoughts, ideas, and gratitude. Keep a journal about your daily events or even use it to make lists. Leather Writing Journal Notebook,
Play or spend time with a pet. Pets have been known to relieve stress. I have a certified Therapy Dog and we will visit the local community college during exam week to help students de-stress.
Spend time with Your Pet
Prioritize a Quiet Hour or Day. We are busy people!! It’s a wonderful release of stress to slow down and be quiet. Quietly read a book or prepare a meal by yourself.
Laugh. Just as we were made to cry, we are also made to laugh! Laughing releases endorphins and healthy hormones that relax our body.
Listen or Play Music. Chose music that helps you relax and relieve the stress of the hour. People find playing the piano or guitar brings them pleasant moments.
Learn Time Management. Keeping a day planner will keep you from overcommitting or overestimating what you can truly accomplish in a day.
Recommended Life Planner: Deluxe Law of Attraction Academic Planner September 2020 – December 2021 – Weekly & Monthly Planner to Increase Productivity & Happiness
Drink Green Tea. This amazing tea actually contains an amino acid called L-theanine that is great for relieving anxiety and feelings of stress. Organic Sencha Green Tea Bags.
Visit the Beach. Water and sand have a positive effect on our body. The beach uses all our senses. Take in the beauty of the water and beach, listen the waves and smell the clean salty air.
Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida
Aromatherapy. Lavender and Bergamot are wonderful essential oils to apply for stress management.
Draw. Express yourself on paper by drawing pictures or sketches. Painting, coloring and sewing have similar stress relieving qualities.
Watch Your Attitude. Take a minute to reflect on your attitude. Do you focus on the negative? Can you find something positive or optimistic about your day or situation?
Pray. This might be near the end of the list, however prayer is powerful. Don’t forgot the Creator of the Universe knows your situation, listens to you, and can ultimately give you peace. NIV, Value Thinline Bible, Leathersoft, Teal, Comfort Print
Gardening. Get your hands dirty by planting an herb garden, decorating your yard with flowers or growing a vegetable garden. Weeding and harvesting your garden also relieves stress. Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: A Simple Guide to Growing Vegetables at Home
Take a Mini-Vacation. Get away from it all and chose to apply ways to relieve stress. When we step away for a time out we can return with fresh perspective and a new attitude.
Cabin at Wilderness State Park in Michigan.
A mini-vacation at Wilderness State Park allows you to focus on simplicity. The cabin had a wood stove for heat, a table for eating and bunks for sleeping. (We brought lanterns for light and a tea kettle for making hot cocoa.) It was located a few steps away from the beautiful Lake Michigan. We could walk for hours on the quiet beach!
Healthy Stress Management
Create a stress management plan that is custom fit for you. Review the 18 different ways to relieve stress and chose which ones would be best.
Commit. Once you have a plan, decide to stick with it. Writing it out or saving it on your phone will be helpful.
What does this challenge look like for me? Well, I do get stressed from time to time, therefore I need a plan! (smiling.) My stress management plan involves taking my dog for a walk, baking, reading, using Peace & Calming essential oil, resting and praying.
I do find that taking a mini-vacation or even a weekend to get away is refreshing. Walking on the beach is wonderful, whether it is on Lake Michigan or the gulf side of Florida.
How about you? Which one(s) did you make a part of your stress management plan?
Share your challenge one of 4 ways; by commenting below, commenting on my Facebook page, Instagram page or email me your acceptance. Use #accept21dayhealthchallenge on your social media comments.
Improving our health together,
[…] time by keeping a day planner, list your prioritizes, plan to relax, and limit social media. Read Healthy Stress Management for more tips on how to keep stress at […]