In our world today, stress has become the daily companion of most individuals. If it’s not the daily demands of studying hard to pass exams, then it’s the demands of work or the responsibility of taking care of your family, or the desire to achieve success.
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The list is endless. However, no matter how normal it has become, being constantly stressed out is very dangerous to one’s mental and physical health. Stress causes poor sleep/insomnia, severe headaches, worry, irritation, loss of interest, lack of concentration, etc. and these are risky to one’s health.
The truth remains that life problems are endless and should you stress yourself to death, the people who care about you would still move on despite the pain. You can’t
comman kee yourself na.
Learning how to live a stress-free life is the best prevention policy one can bank on, else, your life savings and investments might be spent on treatments rather than vacations. Below are some tips on how to stay healthy, productive and live a stress-free life:
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Create Time To Rest And Relax
Always remember you’re human and not a robot, so don’t try to overwork yourself. Give yourself time to rest from work or school. Spend quality time with family and friends. Create time for the things you love doing, read a book, watch TV, write in your journal, go on adventures, etc. These help to renew your energy and get fresh ideas.
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Open Up About Your Problems
Learning to share your problems and worries of life with trusted friends, family members, therapists, etc. helps to relieve you of stress and worry. Also, learn to tell yourself the truth about how you feel. You can deceive everybody but you cannot deceive yourself.
Getting enough sleep is crucial for one’s health. No matter how busy you are, always create time to sleep for at least 7 hours a day. A good night’s sleep helps to refresh one’s heart.
Eating a balanced/ healthy diet and drinking enough water brings nourishment to your body. This does not include junk, feeding on too many snacks, and excessive alcohol consumption. Your meals should be rich in vegetables, fruits, proteins and devoid of too much sugar.
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Music is food to the soul and can be very therapeutic. If you’re someone who loves good music, then listening to calm songs when you feel stressed will help in relaxation and meditation. Soothing songs also help one fall asleep easily.
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Prioritize Your Activities And Avoid Procrastination
To avoid stress, you need to be able to list out things you need to do in their order of importance and attend to them as and when due. Procrastinating activities will only make them piled up for you. When this happens, stress follows suit. So, know what needs to be done and do them in time.
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Engage In Regular Exercise
Engaging in exercise isn’t about weight lifting or running a marathon. It can be as simple as taking a walk in the cool of the evening with your dog, a partner or just alone. It can be early morning jogging. It can be taking a walk to your office or even yoga. No matter how little, these help to relax your body and mind, as well as improve your mood.
Different things get different people stressed out. For some, it could be work, while for others, it could be family responsibilities. Finding out what stresses you the most helps you handle stressful situations better.
Well, I don’t mean it literally, but if you could, then be my guest. It’s important to take a vacation and disappear from everything once in a while. This keeps you active and makes you more productive. And while at it, do well to leave your work phone and laptop behind.
Sounds simple but it’s a struggle for many people. Learning to say “No” keeps you in charge of your life, prevents you from doing things you shouldn’t do, and messes up your schedule. A lot of persons have their day planned out but end up achieving nothing simply because they spent their day fulfilling the demands of others. Be selective about the things you want to take on.
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This article was first published on 6th November 2021
chidiogo-akaelu
Chidiogo Shalom Akaelu holds a degree in English and Literary Studies, from the University of Nigeria. She is a freelance writer, editor and founder of Loana Press, a budding online publishing outlet.
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