Simple tips to lead a stress free life!

Stress these days is a ubiquitous phenomenon and there is no escape; be it a homemaker, a student, a corporate worker or a retired govt employee. Accepting that we may sooner or later face it & prepare ourselves for the battle by arming ourselves with the right armaments well in advance assures us of being the winners.

1. Prepare your body for the fight:

Strengthen your body, improve your resilience by three simple techniques-

• Exercise - daily exercise(30 min morning walk works best) helps battle stress by releasing happiness producing endorphins & stress buster neurochemicals in abundance.
• Sleep - a daily dose of 6-8 hours of peaceful sleep energizes your mind & body.
• Diet - healthy, nutritious, balanced diet, regular eating habits go a long way in building your strength for the battle ahead.

2. Wear your body armor suit

So your friends, family, colleagues become your shield from stress. Find time to catch a movie, share meals with your family, make your friends, cousins, parents your confidantes, your partners, your soldiers in battling stress.

3. Fix your helmet:

Cocoon your mind within the relaxed aura of music, painting, singing, cooking, sketching - any recreational activity to refresh not just your mind or body, but also your soul. Keep your mind calm by indulging in regular meditation & pranayama.

4. Draw out your sword, hold steady your shield, take your position:

To win a battle, it's important to judge your opponents moves beforehand - so plan, prioritize and organize.

• Plan- assess your needs & plan accordingly. whether its assignments, deadlines, family functions; planning well in advance lets you know where you stand.
• Prioritize - delineate tasks into urgent, not urgent, important, not important and schedule accordingly.
• Organize - divide bigger (seemingly herculean tasks) into smaller parts & work on them one by one.

5. Attack:

• Take control of the situation
• Set realistic expectations & goals.
• Change your way of looking at things
• Reframe your thoughts.
• Avoid extremes.

This article was originally published on Practo Health Feed by Dr. Sugandha Gupta, Psychiatrist