The Art of De-stressing

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♥ Take a mini-vacation from life. On your vacation, only do things that make you happy. Take a breather from your problems and stressors for a while. Once you have given yourself time away, you will be able to face your stress with a fresh face. I've done this for two days with the girls from MYY and my BFF and I'm incredibly refreshed to work today!

♥ Reward yourself for hard work. If you have a big to do list, plan to reward yourself for getting through it. It will give you incentive to push through to the end. You can take yourself shopping, watch your favorite television show, or enjoy a tasty treat like ice cream. I've given myself new sunnies, y'all! That purchase is worth all my purchases for the next two months so I'm giving my wallet a rest till then.

♥ Start a stress journal. It will give you a place to vent and rant without fearing judgement from the listener. Sometimes when I’m stressed, I just scribble on the pages of my stress journal. It really does make you feel better. I just doodle hearts on my planner and I'm all good :P

♥ Channel your stress into a positive project or endeavor. While promotions automatically means raises and a new title, more than anything, it is a whole new page of responsibilities and I'm so glad to have been given more projects to work on, more authority on things and trust to make a difference. That makes me smile every day.

♥ Take the time to organize. You will just magnify your stress if you are unorganized. Make sure your workspace is clean and clear of unnecessary clutter. Keep a planner or organizer to record appointments. This is true! I find myself more inspired to work when both my work table and my anything table at home are clean.

This is my current wallpaper I got from somewhere [if you're the owner, please let me know]
It never fails to make me smile reallllly wide.

♥ Have a good laugh. Laughter is the best stress reliever out there. Watch a funny sitcom or comedy show. Spend time with your friends and reminisce about good times. Have a tickle war with someone who makes you giggle. I find that I easily laugh even in the most mundane things. I guess that is why I've been a poster girl for giddiness and happy thoughts these days. I can really be sarcastic and *serious* sometimes, to some people though and I take pride in being silent when there is a need.

♥ Find a hobby that helps quell your stressors. Everyone is different so you have to figure out what helps you. I like to clean or crochet when I’m feeling stressed. My best friend Brittany like to bake when she is stressed. That is stress-relief and yumminess in one!! I like smelling scented oils especially when I'm stressed out. I especially like strawberry ones from TBS and Fresh Bamboo from Mia Maison.

♥ When facing extreme stress, remember to breathe. Try not to panic or freak out. Remember that nothing is worth having a meltdown over. There is a solution for any problem as long as you remain calm and level-headed. Gah. Anger can make me think of really outrageous things to do, which is why I try not to harbor angry thoughts as much as I did before. Breathing helps -- clears my mind, and makes me shrug off whatever it is I'm stressed about. It's a different thing about work though, breathing helps me put things into perspective and make me realize what I need to do to get the job done.

♥ Talk to someone about your stress. It feels good to tell someone what you are going through. When you verbalize all of your anxiety, it helps you to dismiss needless worry. This is where my best girls, BFFs and work buddies come into the picture. Thanks, guys!

♥ Be willing to ask for help. Sometimes you can’t handle everything on your own. It isn’t always easy to ask for help, but it can really help to have someone on your side. Most people are willing to help, but they don’t know that you need help if you don’t ask. I think I'm blessed a lot for having people around me who are always willing to help, so big thanks to you guys!

♥ Prioritize your tasks. Complete tasks that need to be done right away first before worrying about tasks that can be done later on. Ahaha. I'm a big multi-tasker which should be a good thing but I tend to work on multiple projects all at the same time and sometimes that kinda bugs me that I don't get to finish one project the soonest. I will have to work on that though.

♥ Take things one step at a time. Sometimes it is overwhelming when you look at the big picture. Just focus on the present when you are feeling stressed. Ha, I do this in the mornings when I refrain from thinking of what I need to do for the day. I find it effective in motivating myself to just think what I need to do for the next 30 minutes.

♥ Make sure that you are eating well. It is easy to neglect eating when you are extremely busy, but you will just make your stress worse without fueling your body. You need a full tank to stay positive and motivated. Oh man I almost died of hunger from all the walking last Wednesday!

♥ Try to get enough sleep every night. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of stress. If you can’t get the required amount of sleep at night, try to take several small power naps during the day. I know a guy who works nights, so he takes naps in his car in between his college classes during the day. Whatever works! Super true! I do make myself run on caffeine and adrenaline most of the time, though. Tsk.

♥ Make yourself a playlist of calming music. If you start to feel stressed, put on your stress-relief tunes and relax for a few minutes. It will always be A Beautiful Mess by Jason Mraz for me.

♥ Throw on some loud dance music and dance around like a crazy person until you are completely out of breath. This really does work! Yeah, my favorite loud music will forever be Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms, never fails to pick me up.

♥ Light a scented candle and ask someone sweet to rub your neck or feet. I really do believe in aromatherapy. See above!

♥ If someone is causing your stress, it might be beneficial to let them know you are overwhelmed. Because everyone is different, they might not realize that they are causing your stress. We all have different levels of stress we can handle, and they may not know what your level is. Ask them to give you a break. Paging my boss? If you're reading this (which I know you do), well, thanks for not being a stressor most times.

♥ Try taking up a calming exercise like yoga or pilates. If that isn’t your bag, try running or going for a walk. I'm not a big yogini, in fact, I can't remember ever really trying it. What works for me is going out somewhere with greeneries and I instantly get relaxed.

♥ Print out some crossword or sudoku puzzles and channel your stress into solving them. I go for Nokia's Sudoku, though.

♥ Try playing a challenging video game. It helps focus your frustrated and stressed energies. Nyahaha. Plants vs. Zombies, FTW!

♥ Brew a pot of tea, grab a good book, and enjoy an afternoon away from all your stress. All-time stress buster.