How Busy People Push Back Against Stress *

*Collab

If you’re a busy person, you’ll know what it’s like to deal with stress. Whether you’ve got back-to-back meetings or endless notifications, that constant anxiety and tension can bring you down.

Stress, though, is a part of life when you’re a busy professional. There are so many things you need to get done during the day that it can creep up on you. The good news is that you can push back against it. You don’t have to put up with high levels of stress and a high level of stress constantly. 

Here’s what to do.

Practice gratitude

One of your top priorities when you’re feeling stressed is to practice gratitude. You want to feel like you have the power to change your brain state at any point.

When people tell you to be grateful for what you have, it can be annoying, but when you practice it internally yourself, it gives you a different perspective on things. It’s very difficult to feel stressed when you feel grateful.

You can practice gratitude by keeping a journal or being grateful during a daily meditation. When you make it a regular part of your life, it becomes something that you learn instinctively, rewiring your brain over time. 

Take micro breaks

Another thing you might want to do is take micro-breaks and unplug from time to time. You don’t have to rest for an hour or two; just 2-5 minutes of stretching, walking, or breathing exercises are all you need. These give your body a reset and allow you to take on the challenges of the day. 

Try a new supplement

There are all sorts of supplements these days that can reduce your stress levels and leave you feeling in a better mood. Things like ashwagandha or CBD can have a profound effect on your well-being. 

Try and experiment with a few of these to see if they have any effects on you. Keep track of your mood levels and use apps to record how you’re feeling during the day. 

Share the load

If possible, you also want to share the load with other people. Many hard-working professionals believe that they need to do everything themselves, especially at work, but often they don’t. If you can pass tasks on to other people, you can reduce the stress you feel and the amount of things you have to get done in the day. Remember, most companies won’t reward you for being busy; they reward you for achieving success and generating the perception that your goal is to achieve success. 

Say no to people and mean it

Finally, it’s a good idea to say no to people and mean it. If you’re constantly saying yes, then the number of tasks you need to complete can be overwhelming. Practice being polite when you say no to people while setting firm boundaries. If you’re not sure how to do this, read blogs on some of the best sentences to say to people when they ask you to do something. Once you start prioritising, you’re able to time block your day and get deep work done.