If you suffer from stress or anxiety here are some of my top strategies to help you to de-stress and lower your anxiety levels.  If you do nothing about your stress and anxiety levels, guess what –  you become more stressed and anxious.  Perhaps its time for you to change your mindset and take back control of your thoughts, emotions and actions/reactions.

Change The Thought – Change The Outcome

This is the starting point really – reprogramming your brain by replacing any unhelpful negative thoughts with new positive ones.  Use your powerful imagination to visualize or show your brain what you want.  Never over-estimate the power of your mind!

Live life just one day at a time (no stress)

You cannot change the past and tomorrow, next month or 2 years time – until it becomes today, there is nothing you can do about it.  The only time you’re in control of your time is today. Yes, you can book things in and put them in your diary, but after that until it becomes today there is nothing else you can do.  The past you cannot change, but you can change the way you think about it. Don’t carry negative memories and emotions from the past, into the present to then take into the future.

 Learn to Manage Your Time Effectively

Don’t waste time doing unimportant tasks, especially when you’re stressed.  Prioritise you day and do the important jobs first.  If you have a To Do List, only put 6 things on it.

Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

Self care starts with you, so ensure that you eat healthy, nutritious meals and exercise for 30 minutes on a daily basis.  Try to have a good night time routine before you go to bed to ensure you get adequate sleep and rest, so that you’re more able to deal with any stress should it occur.

Know Your Limitations and Don’t Take On Too Much

A lot of stress is caused by us not wanting to let people down, so that we then end up doing more than we should.  Learn to delegate and say no effectively, without upsetting or offending anyone.

                             

Accept The Things That You Cannot Change

Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible and if this is the case, recognise and accept things as they are and focus on what you do have control over.  Traffic can be a nightmare, if you’re stuck you can look around and appreciate what’s around you or listen to your favourite music.

Take Time to Re-charge Your Battery and be Stress Free

You cope better on a daily basis if you regularly take a short 10 – 15 minute break; easily making up the time you used relaxing.  To wind down at the end of the day, read a book, enjoy relaxing in the bath or do some meditation or yoga. Ensure that you have one annual break of at least 10-14 days.

Find Time To Meet Family And Friends

Friends and family can help to ease any troubles in your life and help to you to see things differently.  The activities you engage in with your friends will help you to relax and maybe have a good laugh, which boosts your immune system, which can be depleted during stressful times.

Try To See Things Differently, Develop A Positive Thinking Style

If something is bothering you, try to see it differently. Talk the problem over with a colleague, friend or family member, which could help you to see things from a different and less stressful perspective.  You may also need to consider seeking professional help to achieve your desired outcome or prevent ill health and/or be burned out.

Avoid Alcohol, Nicotine And Caffeine As Coping Mechanisms For Stress

Long term, these are faulty coping mechanisms that may exacerbate the situation. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, too much and the body reacts tot his with the stress response, which could increase or cause anxiety symptoms. Remember, alcohol is a depressant!

Find out what hypnotherapy is like

Head to the landing page of my website, scroll down to the bottom and there is a free relaxation session that you can listen to.

https://yorkhypnotherapist.com