So you woke up hours early due to the tube strike, still didn't manage to get a seat on the bus, and when you did, you got shoved in the shoulder.
And now, you have the same delightful journey to endure on the way home and back into work again tomorrow.
If the thought of this is causing you to involuntarily grit your teeth, you need some stress tips. We asked Sarah Elsing from The Stress Management Society for some zen-like advice on making it home alive.
1) Avoid nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar products
They are all stimulants, so therefore they cannot calm you down. If you’re stressed and stranded on a platform in London try a bottle of water instead of the customary, caffeine-filled latte. But remember the quality of the water you drink can also have an impact on your wellbeing.
Extra tip: Bring your own bottle of water with you to make sure water is readily accessible and it works out cheaper for you!
2) Relax with a stress reduction technique
Take a few deep breaths. Imagine a triangle that starts at your belly button and the corners are at your hips. Inside that triangle is a ball or a balloon. Every time you take a breath in imagine that ball or balloon filling up with air. Take a nice slow deep breath in and fill the belly up with air. Hold at the top of the breath 5-10 seconds and the slow exhale pulling the navel to the spine. This easy belly breathing technique will not only help you relieve yourself from excess stress. It will also increase the level of oxygen in your brain and help you focus on more important issues.
3) Avoid confrontations
Life shouldn’t be a constant battleground. Stay calm in the face of other stressed people around you. They may not know how to deal with their own stress and may be in an anxious or angry state of mind. Remember that smiling is contagious – try it and see what happens!
Extra tip: Whenever you can foresee a confrontation about to take place count to ten before reacting.
4) Learn to accept what you cannot change
A well-known saying asks for the serenity “to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”. This philosophy will help you avoid unhappiness, cynicism and bitterness. And remember the strikes are going to take place either way so there is no point in getting stressed about it!
See Also:
Tired, Fed-Up And Stressed Out? Say Hello To 'F**k It' Therapy
Escaping Burnout and Embracing the Joy of Missing Out - a Hot New Trend
And if you're really about to throw a fit, these funny tweets will turn that frown upside down:
