Reducing the Everyday Stressors in Your Life
While life occasionally throws some significant curveballs, it’s often not the big stressors that rob you of happiness and productivity each day. It’s the little annoyances and stressors that never seem to let up. We get used to these minor inconveniences and frustrations, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t having a big impact on your life.
Often, it’s only when you remove these stressors from your life that you can realize how much stress they were causing.
Reducing everyday stressors can be a big relief!
Try these strategies to reduce your stress level:
Identify the things that stress you. Sit down and make a list of every little thing that creates any stress in your life on a regular basis.
● Keep a small notebook with you and write down everything you experience in your day-to-day life that creates even the smallest amount of stress.
● Be sure to record a weekday and the weekend. The weekend is likely to have some stressors that a normal workday does not.
Start at home. Identify everything in and around your home that you find bothersome.
● It might be the hole in your backyard fence or the ugly painting in the hallway.
● Maybe your car is hard to start in the morning.
● Is the area your kids play in always a mess?
● Is there a stain on the ceiling from the last hard rainstorm?
● Make a list of these stress-inducing items and begin fixing them in a logical order. You might be surprised by how many of them can be addressed quickly and easily.
Take a look at work. Work is often a source of stress. What stresses you out at work? Who stresses you out at work? What are the tasks that cause you the greatest amount of stress? You spend a lot of time at work each day. A small improvement here could have a big impact.
● Can you delegate tasks that you don’t like to others?
● Is there a way to spend less time with the people you don’t like?
● Do you need to find a new position in the company? Would you like to find a new company altogether?
Consider the people in your life. Look at the people outside of work. Do you have a friend or family member that stresses you out? Take a hard look at your relationships and think about what you can do to enhance the challenging areas.
Financial pressure. Financial struggles are a common stressor. They might even be the most common stressor. Regardless of your financial situation, if you’re feeling stressed, the solution is generally to either make more money or to spend less.
● What are some expenses you can eliminate or reduce?
● What are a few ways you can boost your income?
Sleep well and exercise. Exercise and sufficient sleep can greatly increase your resistance to stress. Notice how a small child’s ability to deal with stress is altered by being tired. It’s no different for adults.
● Get your sleep and exercise regularly. You’ll feel less stress and be in a better position to deal with stress when it occurs.
Everyday stressors never let up. They continue to take a toll day after day until you give yourself some relief. We tend to tolerate too much in our lives and consequently experience more stress than is necessary.
Examine every aspect of your life for everyday stressors and do your best to minimize the impact they have on your existence. You’ll be glad you did!