We all know about it, we all talk about it, we all experience it. S.T.R.E.S.S. STRESS! This six letter word means something different to all of us, and impacts our lives in a very unique way. However, living in a constant stressed out state can have a negative impact on our well being. In fact, nearly 70% of doctor visits and 80% of serious illnesses may be associated with stress. That’s why you should make managing stress a priority!

AKA stop running yourself into the ground for everyone! Not only is this detrimental to your health, you are doing the people around you a disservice. When you are constantly running on fumes and constantly stressed out, are you giving the world the best version of you? Or, are you just showing up and going through the motions? 

So what is the solution? Deep down you know the answer! You need to make a change! You have to start being selfish! Being selfish in this sense is not a negative thing. I am saying you need to be selfish with your time and your energy. You have to take and make time for yourself! YOU HAVE TO! Especially, if you want to give your work, your family, your friends, hell, even THE FREAKING UNIVERSE the best version of you! 

So you’re probably thinking to yourself, That sounds great in all but I can’t just flip 180 degrees and start living care free and start sippin margaritas by the pool to un wind.. Good News! You don’t have to! You can make small little changes in your day to day life that will build on top of each other and have you feeling better and better each day!

Here are a few simple examples of how you can break the cycle and start putting your best foot forward in de-stressing and start working on yourself!

Focusing on your breath can take you out of your fight/flight mode and get you into a rest and digest state. There are tons of breathing exercises out there but here are a few we recommend at IPT!

https://youtu.be/X6dUk8tWT0k

https://youtu.be/S8Rgi3sFdFw

https://youtu.be/_mYRT2HTtxs

Be In The Moment!

Ever heard the saying stop and smell the roses? Try and take some time and just observe what is going on around you. On your commute to work try and notice new things you had never noticed. Or, just taking a different route home can get you out of your funk! All in all, just try and mix things up, even if it’s small!

Count Your Blessings!

We all tend to focus on the problems going on in our life. However, if we really take time and think about things going well for us, we can change our mindset and go into our daily lives with a more positive or at least neutral outlook!

GET MOVING!

Motion is lotion! Not just for your joints but also for that 8 lb muscle between your ears. You don’t need an hour work out to de-stress either! Just taking a break from sitting at your desk and knocking out some pushups or jumping jacks can change your physiology and your mental state! If you are looking to get into a workout routine and you’re not sure where to start, click here and we would love to help get you going! 

All in all, taking small little breaks for yourself during the day, and being a little selfish with your time can really start to add up and change the way you look at the world. So stop running yourself into the ground and start running to a better you!