5 Simple Stress Management Tools

Hopefully the worst is behind us as far as the pandemic, but there is still much stress and uncertainty surrounding us. We also experience stress in our day to day life, and sometimes we don’t know how much stress we are under until we are out of it. Sometimes we need to make drastic changes to reduce stress, but sometimes some simple tools can make a big difference.

Here are 5 simple tools for managing stress:

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress. When we breath deeply, we trigger the relaxation response in the brain. One way to tell if your breathing deeply is to place your hands on your belly as your breathing. Try to breath as deep into the lungs as you can, through the nose, letting your belly rise naturally. Exhale completely through the nose or mouth. Repeat 5-10 times in a row.

Affirmations

Saying a quick affirmation to yourself is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, and worry in the moment. Pick an affirmation that means a lot to you, and any time you feel stressed, repeat the affirmation to yourself as many times as you need.

Grounding

Grounding is a great way to shift the focus from the brain and the thoughts in your mind that are causing the stress, to the present moment. Here’s a quick grounding exercise that I use with my patients when they are experiencing a lot of stress or anxiety.

Look around you in the current moment, find:

5 Things You Can SEE

4 Things You Can Touch

3 Things You Can Hear

2 Things You Can Smell

What You Taste Right Now

Meditation

Fortunately we have some great meditation apps right at our finger tips on our phone. Meditation has been proven to reduce anxiety, and is a great way to reduce feelings of stress and worry. Pull out your phone and download one of the many meditation apps (Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, etc). If you notice yourself feeling stressed or anxious, try doing a 5-10 minute meditation, it can really help!

Make a Gratitude List

Practicing gratitude is a great way of shifting your mindset from negative to positive, stressed to grateful. If you notice your feeling stressed or anxious, pull out a piece of paper or the note pad app in your phone and write a quick gratitude list of 5 things you are grateful for. Thinking about what we are grateful for can help us put the stressful situation in perspective.

I hope these tips are helpful! Stay healthy and well and reach out anytime!