Stress is so common these days, you may accept that it is simply part of life and you should stop complaining. Wrong! Firstly, the levels of stress many people deal with are unnatural; our bodies aren’t made for it. Secondly, you can improve your life easily in order to feel less overwhelmed, so you have no reason to continue your current trend.
Lifestyle coaches will tell you that a holistic approach is essential, and the good news is you don’t necessarily have to pay an expert to help you get it right. How can gluten free beer or a flight of stairs bring the change your body needs?
What Should Change in Your Lifestyle?
Firstly, knowing where you’ll end up can keep you motivated and help you identify the paths to take to reach that destination. For quality of life, these three aspects determine your overall health:
- Physical health
- Mental wellbeing
- Social wellbeing
Here’s how you can optimise them.
How to Change Your Lifestyle Easily
There’s no shortage of tips on how to improve the areas mentioned above. Unfortunately, the thought of change is often as overwhelming as the stress you’re already facing. Here are some ideas that almost anyone can implement—easily.
Changing Your Diet—Don’t Worry It Doesn’t Have to be Boring
We all know we are what we eat—and that’s not just a cliché.
Eating and drinking shouldn’t only be about filling your stomach. What you consume determines whether your body can handle attacks, of which stress is one. Did you know stress can cause damage such as harming your cells’ mitochondria?
The right diet will provide your body with enough vitamins and antioxidants to fight off attacks. For a start, simply add more fruit to your diet. Or, during a night out, rather pick healthier party food such as less pasta at the restaurant and gluten free beer at the bar. Gluten is a problem since it prevents some people from absorbing nutrients.
Make these simple adjustments and you’ll start seeing you’re less fatigued because of stress.
Exercise—Without Joining the Gym
Exercise is another method of helping your body deal with the impact of stress, which is why you can’t skip this tip. You’re probably groaning at the idea of adding exercise to your weekly to do list, but don’t panic. Burning a few more calories and accelerating your heart rate is as easy as:
- Instead of using the lift, take the stairs at work.
- For tasks like keeping your car clean, rather do it yourself than paying someone else.
- You’ll be surprised at how motivated you get to walk more if you invest in gadgets like activity trackers. Let it count your steps and remind you to get up from your chair at least once every hour.
Finding Some Peace—You Need to Deal with that Stress!
Not all your new habits will take lots of effort. For mental wellbeing, taking some time out is a smart way to improve your quality of life.
Because you’re used to being busy all the time, you may find it difficult to switch off and just relax. It could help going for therapy or talking to someone about what stresses you out. If you prefer keeping things private though, simply try adding one of these to your weekly schedule:
- A 30-minute session of meditation, even if it’s during your lunch hour behind a closed office door.
- If your stress comes from having too much to do and not feeling in control of your life, focus on what you can change. You may not be able to prevent clients from ruining your day at work but what about:
- Planning your favourite activity for the weekend.
- Talking to colleagues about improving one aspect of your business that will benefit your workflows.
- Picking one item on your bucket list to plan and complete in the next 12 months.
Taking back control even in small doses can help you have a better outlook on life and more positivity for the future.
Cut it Out—Stats Don’t Lie
Lifestyle changes aren’t only about adding new things to your life, but also about taking away the negative impact. You do need to reassess your perspective about smoking and drinking, since both these habits can affect your health.
Even if you smoke or drink less than before it can help your body. Here as well, swapping out sugary alcoholic beverages for healthier ones—like gluten free beer or red wine—can make a huge difference.
Meet New People—Or Simply Learn ABOUT People
Most introverts will hate this tip but keep reading. Social interaction does affect your general wellbeing, so engaging with others is important. It can boost your mood and improve your sense of safety in society.
If you’re really not up to making new friends, why not simply educate yourself about human nature? Having new understanding for others’ personalities and respect for their preferences could improve your relationships at work.
[Conclusion]
Want to have a better year? A better life? Your drink choice tonight or cleaning your car this weekend could be the first step in taking back control. Stress doesn’t have to get the better of you in 2021.