April is National Stress Awareness Month and a great time to check in with yourself and your colleagues. After all, a slower-than-usual market, political upheaval and divisiveness, and a less-than-certain economic outlook probably has most of us feeling the heat and succumbing to stress from the many things that feel outside of our control.
If you’re looking for a way to feel better but mindfulness and meditation are tough for you, here are 15 mindset shifts and practice changes that can improve your outlook.
1. Control what you can, ignore what you can’t
Make a list of your current stressors, and divide it into high-impact tasks that only you can do, tasks that you can delegate to someone else and situations over which you have no control.
For example, you might be in charge of lead-gen activities and renewing your license, you might delegate some marketing activities or research, and you might let go of your worries around market fluctuations and the economy.
2. Eat the frog first
You’ve probably heard of the eat the frog productivity hack. It basically means that you start your day or your week by handling the most difficult or stressful task first. This way, you don’t fall into the trap of procrastinating due to your anxiety while increasing your dread and stress levels. Whenever you make a to-do list, look for that “frog” you can get out of the way first, so the rest of the list instantly becomes more manageable.
3. Get moving (without calling it exercise)
Don’t make “working out” another thing to add to the list — and feel guilty about. Simply inject more movement into your daily tasks. Walk around while taking calls, park farther away from your meeting or use the stairs instead of the elevator. Movement fights stress without a gym membership, and a midday desk stretch can help energize and relax you, all at the same time.
4. Declutter and curate digital and physical spaces
Your space can add subconscious stress and a sense of chaos to your internal turmoil. Set a 10-minute timer each day and tackle that messy desk, overloaded email inbox or clothes-strewn bedroom. By clearing the physical clutter in your space, you’ll enjoy more clarity and less mental clutter.
Curate your social media feed, and get rid of the negative voices that may be cluttering it. Follow accounts that come from a place of peace, positivity and productivity — ideas that are useful instead of stress-inducing.
5. Set boundaries (without feeling guilty)
Know your boundaries and say “no” to time-sucking commitments and conversations that don’t serve your goals. Establish “do not disturb” hours, and set times for checking and returning emails. Create screen-free time in the morning and evening to bring a little peace into your everyday routine.
6. Use the 5-minute rule for overwhelm
You don’t have to do everything, and you don’t have to do everything all at once. If a task feels too big, commit to just five minutes of progress. Most of the time, momentum will keep you going, but even if it doesn’t, you’ll have created forward movement and a little bit of progress toward your goal.
7. Create a shutdown ritual
Before you leave the office or put down the phone for the evening, set a routine that symbolically ends your workday. Review tomorrow’s tasks, step outside for a breath of fresh air or otherwise “close” your workspace. While you can’t always prevent work from creeping into personal time, ritualizing your end-of-day and giving yourself permission to leave it behind will do wonders for your stress levels.
8. Give your brain a break
Stop trying to be the repository of everybody’s appointments, tasks and schedules. Transfer information out of your brain and into a notebook, planner, app or whiteboard to reduce your mental clutter and stress.
If your spouse and older children automatically assume that you’ll remember everything for them, put them in charge of their own schedules and tasks to reduce your mental burden; consider a shared family calendar to keep everyone on track and encourage everyone to check it daily.
9. Make a ‘done’ list instead of a to-do list
You’ve probably got a pretty long to-do list on your phone or in your planner, but do you ever acknowledge the completion of those tasks? At the end of the day, keep a journal of what you’ve accomplished instead of only dwelling on what’s left to do. That way, you’ll be able to look back at your successes, build momentum and enjoy a sense of accomplishment while also reducing your stress.
10. Gamify stressful tasks
Play Beat the Clock, or challenge yourself to finish a task before the song you’re listening to ends. Set a timer, and switch between tasks whenever it goes off. Come up with a reward system, and give yourself a treat when you finish your must-do list.
11. Get a ‘stress outlet’ hobby that’s actually fun
If your only stress reducer is doomscrolling on your phone, it’s time to get your hands dirty in a new way. Look at hobbies like gardening, cooking or DIY projects to engage your mind, keep you busy and distract yourself without screens.
Think back to things you found fun when you were younger — drawing, designing or sports — and find a way to reignite that long-lost interest. Take a class, join a club or team, or look for volunteer opportunities that allow you to do good while getting out of your head.
12. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, increase water
Caffeine spikes stress levels and can make you overreact to stimuli. Alcohol might feel like a relaxing way to unwind, but its boomerang effect can result in poor sleep at night and a less-than-productive next day.
Drink more water, and try different types of herbal tea: Replace coffee with an energizing blend like caffeine-free chai, and replace the wind-down effects of a nightcap with chamomile or lavender.
13. Laugh (even if you have to force it at first)
Laughter has a host of positive effects on us psychologically and physiologically, so it should always be part of your prescription for stress relief. Whether you rewatch your favorite sitcom, attend a stand-up show or just make time to have lunch with your funniest friends, you’ll feel better if you check in with your funny bone.
14. Have a default stress playlist
Whether it’s a playlist of go-to songs or a never-fail lineup of favorite movies, lean into upbeat, energizing music and empowering storytelling to snap you out of your stress spiral. Here’s a Spotify cheer-up playlist to get you started:
Short on movie ideas? Check out Neflix’s “Feel-good” movie genre or Letterboxd “Cheer-up movies” recommendations.
15. Schedule something to look forward to
It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. Maybe it’s a quiet night in with the phone charging (ringer off) in another room. Maybe it’s a long hike on a trail you’ve never explored. Maybe it’s granting yourself time to take care of you with an at-home spa day or a casual hangout with friends.
Breaking the cycle of your daily grind and doing something different — or planning ahead for a special trip or event — can snap you out of your stressful rut.
Whether you’re chronically stressed out or are suddenly enduring a particularly upsetting time in your personal or professional life, taking care of yourself must be a priority. When you can’t settle down in any other way, simply refreshing your routine and doing something different can help you feel better.
