5 Life Habits to Living A Less Stressful Life

Sep 12

Hey Gal!

Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to an amazing start!

This week, I'm here to offer some tips for managing the everyday chaos aka stress… because we all deserve to live a peaceful and happier life.

Do you feel like you're juggling a billion things at once? How about feeling like everything in your life is just out of order? And how about that feeling of having a million thoughts racing through your mind, making it impossible to focus?

Stress is unavoidable but there are certain habits we can do to manage this. Here are a few to help below!

1. Make Your Bed Every Morning

For some, this is an already well-established habit, but if you're someone that questions the purpose of making a bed you're just going to mess up and climb back into, this is especially for you!

It sounds simple, but have you ever heard the saying that starting your day by doing something rewarding sets a positive precedent for the rest of it? I've found that when I make my bed first thing in the morning, I already feel as though I've accomplished a task. This initial boost propels me into the day with renewed energy and motivation to be productive..and there's true research behind this.

2. Minimize Time On Social Media/Avoid Distractions!

Now, this is a well-known piece of advice, something we've all heard before, but it's truly so vital to our mental, physical and emotional health. Personally, I'm guilty of going down a rabbit hole of scrolling for hours and hours on social media, especially at night, wasting necessary sleep time. Yet social media doesn't just interfere our my rest; It can take a toll on self-confidence and feelings of fulfillment in life. Remember, social media is the highlight reel of everyone's lives, and I've found that when I limit my time on social media, I feel way more energized and confident.

3. Establish a Nighttime Unwind Routine

Establishing a quality evening routine not only allows you to decompress after a long day but also lays the foundation for a restful night's sleep, a key factor in stress management. This doesn't have to be a long routine. Mine is simple: I light a candle, do my skincare, get in bed, turn my phone off, journal for 10 minutes, blow out my candle and go to bed. The whole routine takes about 20 minutes, but it helps relax me. And yes, I know that this seems like a really short time to light a candle, but it makes me happy. Cultivate a nighttime routine that helps calm your mind and body while also bringing you joy. No one likes to go to bed stressed, so take the time (even if it's 5 minutes) to set yourself up for a peaceful night of rest.

4. Move Your Body Everyday

While I truly believe all these tips are amazing for managing stress, moving my body every single day has done wonders for my mental health. I encourage you to challenge yourself, even as simple as a 30-minute walk.

I wholeheartedly swear by the power of exercise and mental clarity.

5. Prioritize a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Okay, full transparency: I'm still working on this one. I'm that girl who feels like she can't allow herself to spend time with friends or relax until everything on her to-do list is complete. Once I realized that when I don't take time for myself, I burn out faster, my life changed for the better. Here's the deal: Everything on your list will eventually get done. I'm not suggesting that you should neglect time-sensitive tasks, but if, after a long week, your friends invite you to join them for happy hour on a Friday and you genuinely want to go, even though there are a few unimportant work emails waiting for your attention, I say, go to that happy hour. Seriously, go. Please. Because those emails will still be there tomorrow, but you must prioritize YOU and enjoy YOUR life. If you neglect taking the time to relax and make yourself happy, you will exhaust yourself, which in turn will hinder your productivity.

Give these a try (or make your own list)! While there's no magic formula for completely eliminating stress, we do have the power to adopt certain habits and activities to help keep it in check. And of course, here's our affirmation for the week: I am capable of handling anything that comes my way.