Taking Time Out for Yourself: The Only Way to Conquer Stress and Its Effects

In today’s world, we all have countless demands on our time and energy. Obligations from work, education, family, church, and countless other outside factors all pile up and lead to never-ending stress.

This burden of stress creates imbalances in our bodies which manifest themselves in different ways. Acne breakouts, digestive irregularity, aches and pains, tension headaches, and insomnia are just a few signs that your body may be overwhelmed by the demands on your physical, mental, and emotional energy.

If you sense that you are overworked and overtired, here are a few tips on how to manage the physical signs of excess pressure so that you can return to your busy life refreshed and prepared to handle whatever comes your way.

First of all, the key to unraveling stress of any kind lies in one thing that too few of do: take time for ourselves. Whether it is because we feel guilty or we are just so preoccupied that it never occurs to us, we just don’t do it! That needs to change, starting today!

Even if it is only five minutes, you need to work it into your routine–pencil it into your day planner or put it on the to-do list–whatever works for you, just make sure it gets done.

Nurturing yourself doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. What you need to be concerned with first is creating a little niche for yourself where you know you can relax. Ideally, it should be a spot in your home–whether it’s a favorite chair in the den or a whole spare room, designate a space that is exclusively devoted to your leisure.

In that space, you cannot deal with “business,” of any kind. If your spouse approaches you to talk about the bills or the children, then it must wait until you exit your special space. This is to preserve the association in your mind: the place you choose should always remain practically sacred to you.

Next, think about how you can treat yourself to sensory stimulation of all kinds. Enjoy new scents, sounds, and tastes. When you settle into your little area, enjoy a bowl of fresh fruit. Turn on whatever type of music you consider the best to help you unwind. If you are the type of person that can release stress through aromatherapy, then try candles, scented oil, or even incense.

You don’t necessarily have to go into complete meditation mode, but we are so exposed to the clatter and chatter of everyday life that it can help to replace it all with things of our choosing.

It’s also vital to take time out to nourish your relationships. You could think about taking a couples’ massage class with your spouse; if you do, practice often! Just like your private relaxation space, try to turn the bedroom into a “no business or conflict,” zone. This will foster greater intimacy between you as a couple.

Ultimately, you have to figure out what works best for you when it comes to releasing the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, but you do actually have to do it at some point. Otherwise, you will overwork your body, and eventually, it will burn out. So do something kind to yourself starting today.

Related articles

• Workplace Stress – How Can I Manage My Stress Levels at Work? (career-advice.monster.co.uk)
• Stress Management and Neck Pain (everydayhealth.com)