This month is National Stress Awareness Month. For the majority of us, stress seems unavoidable. However, there are many ways that one can prevent and manage it. Take a look at these five tips for preventing and managing stress in your life.

Do Something You Enjoy

Doing something you truly enjoy is an effective way to both prevent and manage stress. Always wanted to try kickboxing? Considering the cooking class? Even trying new skills or something different creates an outlet to relieve stress. This month focus on things you enjoy and see how it affects your stress levels.

Exercise

Physical activity is not just great for physical well-being but also for your mental well-being. Exercise is a healthy outlet to relieve stress and has been proven to be extremely effective. Resistance training, running, cycling, CrossFit, or just going on a walk can all be ways to help reduce stress and feel better.

Put Your Feelings on Paper

Journaling and getting the thoughts out of your mind and onto paper is another way one can prevent and manage the stress in our lives. If you have thoughts continually running through your head, try jotting them down and see if it helps. This will send a signal to your brain that it no longer needs to hold onto it.

Be Proactive

Stress often comes when we are feeling overloaded and worn down. When this happens, think to yourself if there is anything that can take a backseat until you feel like you can successfully tackle it. Try making a list of things that need to be done and write each one if it will cause you stress or not. Work on those things that leave you less stressed but still feeling productive.

Relaxation

We know that relaxing while you are stressed is not easy. However, finding ‘easy’ ways to relax and finding what works best for you and your lifestyle is key. The more convenient it is for you, the more likely you are to stick with it. Deep breathing and forms of meditation are some of the best ways to relax. You, in addition, can do these just about anywhere which allows you to relax at any time of the day. If you’re feeling stressed, try ‘combat breathing.’ Inhale for three seconds, hold for three seconds, and exhale for three seconds. Continue for multiple rounds or as long as you need to feel relaxed.