Under pressure? Here are practical ways to cope, straight from an expert
The cost of living crisis, an endless to-do list, economic uncertainty… whatever your trigger, chances are something’s weighing on your mind and causing persistent, low-level stress.
While we can’t always control the cause of our stress, we can change how we react to it and James Withey, author of the new book How to Smash Stress: 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back (jameswithey.com), has plenty of practical techniques.
Sharing six top tips here, James says: ‘Stress will rule us unless we get to grips with it, so practising these and other strategies will massively improve your life.’
1 Get away, don’t run away
‘Having a break away really helps! Seeing sandy beaches, luscious forests and snow-capped mountains all help relieve our stress. It’s not about running away from our troubles — because sadly that won’t work — it’s about getting perspective, some time to think and time to breathe.
‘Also, seeing beautiful things that make us go “wow” really helps our stress. It puts things into perspective when we see how big and wondrous the world is.
‘Even if you can’t afford to go far, try getting out of your usual environment and into woods or to your nearest beach.’
2 Call in favours
‘Stress feels overwhelming, so you need help from other people. Let them collect the kids from school for a few days, accept offers to do the weekly shop or take the dog to the vet. You will repay them in the future when they need a hand, so don’t feel bad about calling in favours and, crucially, proactively ask for help — don’t wait for people to offer.
‘There’s nothing wrong with saying, “I need some help”. In fact, people are often only too pleased to lend a hand when you’re in need.’
3 Turn everything off — for a little bit
‘We spend too much time on our phones and online. Switching your phone off and heading out for a walk can really help. It’s about trying to be in the moment, looking at the sky, people-watching or enjoying the feeling of sun on your skin.
‘Try for five minutes, then work up slowly to an hour where you can just be you and not frantically checking for notifications on your mobile or looking at the news. Technology is there to serve us, but it often feels as if we’re serving it — so take some time off!’
4 Slow everything down
‘It sounds weird to say “slow down” when you’re stressed, because you have so much to do and so much on your mind, but it’s important because we never make good decisions when we are racing around.
‘When we slow everything down, it allows room for stress to be seen more clearly and tackled more effectively. When we move slower, think slower, take time to act rather than react, stress improves.
‘The faster you move the less you achieve. You need to take time to reflect and consider the best thing to do.’
5 Think bigger picture
‘How important do you think your current stress is going to be in five years? Ten years? Will you still be fretting about a job interview? A silly argument with a neighbour? Your boss telling you to work harder? I don’t think so and that’s the perspective we need to have today.
‘We need to concentrate on the things that are important and let others fade away as much as possible. Pick your battles carefully. Pick what you’re going to be stressed about carefully — the old saying of “don’t sweat the small stuff” holds a lot of truth because stress is tiring, and you need energy to tackle it.’
6 Mini ‘me-moments’
‘In the chaos of daily life, trying to get the kids to eat something resembling a vegetable, praying that the car passes its MOT despite the back wheel having fallen off, or seeing the dreaded “bus replacement service” sign at the train station — we have to take some time for us.
‘Mini me-moments are when you take a breath, a few seconds’ break from it all. It might be in the loo first thing in the morning, it might be in the motorway service station cafeteria when you sip your hot chocolate, it can be anywhere.
‘It’s about taking a little slice of time to remind yourself who you are and that you are loved and important.’
● How to Smash Stress: 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back by James Withey is out now (£14.99, Piatkus). Follow James on Twitter and Instagram @jameswwithey