Ways to de-stress at home to calm your mind 🩷

Stress is inevitable. And while a little stress can be positive, too much takes a toll on the body and mind. Try these seven tips to keep stress in check. 

1. Take a minute (often) 

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” — Etty Hillesum

When life gets busy, and the tasks pile up, there can be a snowball effect. Busyness begets busyness. And if we don’t take some time every day to interrupt the “snowball” from rolling, it gets bigger, faster, and harder to stop, leading to burning out, or, to keep with the snowball analogy, crashing into a wall. This is prevented by regularly and intentionally pausing and taking time for yourself with a micro-break (even just a minute).

2. Build Awareness 

The first step to solving any problem is knowing that there is one. Take a moment to acknowledge how much you do day-in and day-out. Now consider how much that requires of your body, mind, and heart. 

Deepening our awareness of how stress impacts our wellbeing can motivate us to interrupt the stress cycle and prioritize rejuvenation. When things pile up and you start to feel overwhelmed, ask yourself, “is this something I need to handle right now or can it wait?”

3. Set boundaries 

Time is a limited and precious resource, so we feel best when we spend it wisely. If there are elements of your daily life that are causing acute stress, or negatively affecting your overall wellbeing, it may be time to re-think some of them. It’s not always possible to totally eliminate daily stressors, but you can choose how many of them you’ll take on in one day. That’s where setting your own boundaries comes in handy.

4. Take time to nourish your body.

One of the best ways to manage your stress levels is to care for your body. This means fueling it with healthy meals and plenty of water. When we’re stressed it can be tempting to ignore our body’s needs in favor of getting the task done, but the body needs fuel to function. Take those breaks for lunch and snacks, and don’t forget to stay hydrated.