[Guest Post]
Hi everyone, I’m Shelly, an obsessive millennial that gets anxious with anything and everything. Ok that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it is how I feel at the moment. Most people have enjoyed the slowdown that came along with the COVID-19 pandemic and to be honest, I did too… Until I decided to take on blogging full time while working as an essential worker and raising a busy toddler. Don’t worry, this post isn’t a pity party- I’m very happy with everything I have chosen to do which you can read all about on GrowingWithSpawn.com. As overwhelming as it is, I do love my three jobs – yes, three, because that is what it feels like. I’ve spent the last few months searching for ways to make sure that I am able to dedicate enough time to each of my jobs without getting burnt out. So today, I’m here to share with you a few tips and tricks that I have learned to de-stress that stress.
MAKE LISTS
This sounds a little obvious, but it works. The craziest days are usually the ones when we have so much to get done and can’t quite figure out where or how to start. What’s the solution to that you might ask? Well, just start… and make sure you do it in order of priority. That’s where your daily planner, to-do lists, digital notepads, sticky notes, etc come in handy. If you are scatterbrained like me, seeing a list of things and checking them off as you go along will not only be motivating, it will also reduce the amount of stress you feel going through each task. And no, mental lists don’t count.
FIT IN SMALL BURSTS OF EXERCISE
Exercise helps with mental health, boosts your energy, helps you sleep better, improves digestion, improves cognitive function… the list goes on but I’ll leave that research with you. I’m the biggest hypocrite right now because this working from home life has me seated by my work station from 7am to 8pm with the occasional bathroom break. Did you know that if you don’t drink water or any fluids, you can eliminate a few bathroom breaks? Anyways, I digress, we’ll address that later. I used to go to CrossFit for the 5am class before the world stopped, but since then I made sure to continue to the workouts at home. Fast forward a few months and a positive covid test later, exercise no longer made the cut in my daily routine. The result? Sluggishness, irritability, impaired sleep and increased anxiety. Are you too busy to exercise? Try it in small bursts when you take a break. What I have noticed is that on the days that I am able to get a few minutes of skipping, a bit of jogging on the spot and even burpees, my productivity goes up significantly AND I get a good night’s rest. Win?
COVER THE BASICS
Ever felt so busy that you don’t have time to eat, go to the bathroom or even breathe? Yeah we’ve all been there.What you need to realise is that you are human and need to cover the basic needs before you can tackle the harder tasks. In Portuguese we have a saying that goes “Saco vazio não fica em pé” which basically means that an empty sack won’t stand upright. Make sure you are fed, rested and have a workable environment to get through your tasks. Studying for an exam? Sleep early then get out of bed and sit in a proper setting. Cleaning up for the in-laws’ visit? Have breakfast first and don’t think about the nightmare to come. Trying to get through a project for work with tight deadlines? Eat, breathe and make use of that list we talked about earlier. My problem comes along with my office job, I find that I don’t usually remember to eat until I am a hangry monster. Doing so has had quite the adverse impact on my mood and mental health with very simple tasks such as calling a client provoking intense anxiety. Don’t be like me, eat your food and spare everyone the terror of dealing with a beast.
ASK FOR HELP
We are all superheroes waiting to tap into our own superpowers. Some have found their magic powers, others have learnt to read minds and the rest of us are still waiting for a smoke signal to know where to look for that special power. If you haven’t figured yours out yet don’t worry, you’re not alone, there are about 7 billion other people in this world who are in the same boat. What some have figured out is that if you ask for help, you will be able to get that one thing done without painful hours of trying to figure out the ‘how’ and might actually get a bit more time to focus on other things. I’m a mom so I know the importance of asking for assistance every now and then. If you’re a student, get help understanding your schoolwork, ask your professors for an extension, get a tutor. Struggling at work? Reach out to a peer or your manager – on the job training doesn’t mean you have to figure it out alone. Just feeling lazy? Hire help… food deliveries and paid help are there for a reason 😉
How do you like to de-stress when things get a-bit too much? What tips could you share on this topic?
Hope these tips help you deal with your stress! Don’t forget to check out Olivia’s post on my blog. I love this girl so much because not only is she the sweetest, but she is insanely talented!
Until next time
XOXO
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Really helpful. Sometimes, I feel stressed about not having stress. A nice read.
Thanks for reading!! 😊
This got me to think…stress about not having stress. You just made a part of me make sense
Make Lists🙌 I love making lists! Making them is such a fun process though I’m guilty of leaving them ‘unscratched.’😂 Brilliant write!
Hahaha! Me too! Me tooooo! 😅
🙌😂
Hahah I’m guilty of that too. Thanks for reading!
My pleasure!
Thanks for this collab Olivia 💖 I had so much fun working with you!
Lets do it again sometime! 👏🏼
Love reading this! I love making lists too! x
Thank you. 🙂 so glad u enjoyed x
Thank you for this insightful and informative post Shelley, and well done for managing to make time for ‘three’ jobs.Wow – that’s inspiring.
🙂 Thank you, I appreciate it! Whether or not I actually do the jobs well is a whole different story! LOL
Lol 🙂
Great post 😊❤ I also dance to my favorite music when I am feeling stressed. It helps keep me grounded in the present moment 🙂
Love that! Sometimes it has to be done!
Yes definitely!
I really like the point about covering the basics. Things like drinking enough water or having breakfast seem extremely obvious but forgotten so easily! I have been guilty of this as well!
Thanks Niraj! So glad u enjoyed the post!
These are such great ideas. I love making lists. I have lists for everything. I also think exercise is so important to keep us balanced and energized…even on days when you just don’t feel like it. Thanks for an excellent post.
So glad u enjoyed this post!!☺️
He he…3 jobs😂😂😂😂. The basics should do it like you said.
Yess!!
Thanks for sharing this blog post. It came at the perfect time. And I’m so glad that I’m here to stay on your blog. 💕✌🏾
So glad it could be of some help and was perfectly timed for you! I appreciate you being here! 🤗
I can get behind all these tips! My favorite is cover the basics because it is so simple yet easy to underestimate. Heaven knows the impact a glass of cold water can have on our day!
Right!! Shelly did such a great job explaining all of these tips didn’t she! So glad you enjoyed this post!
Once more, it was a really interesting post. With back to school right around the corner, it is going to be even ore useful!
By the way, I just nominated you for the Liebster Award, if you want to have a look, follow that link:https://theenglishspeakingfrenchie.com/2020/09/13/the-liebster-award/ 🌷
Aw Camille, Thank you so much!! I’ll go check this out 😊
I think we often forget that exact thing! We are not robots, we are humans with thoughts and feelings! 💕
Amazing post. 😍♥️ Whenever I feel stressed all I do is play my fav song and start dancing to it.
Love this!! I bet you feel so much better after it!
Yessss💯🤗♥️
Whenever I’m stressed I just go and lie down on my bed and think LOL , no, in real I pen down my thoughts it helps a lot, and thanks for the post toooo🤗
I do that sometimes! Your bed can be a really calming place to re-evaluate things! Thanks for reading☺️☺️
🤗
Great tips to avoid the Stress .. Thanks for sharing such useful information… 🙂
Spirituality Awakening
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thank You 🙂 <3
Well for me, by simply shopping, reading books or watching movies are my ways to de-stress the stress! 😂 Sometimes, by simply working out or choosing to sleep early. 😁
Love that! It can be something so small that can make such a difference!
Definitely! 😉❤️
Thanks for reading! 🤗
my pleasure! ☺️