On Stress Awareness Day we asked you to tell us what you do to manage stress. Here is what you said.
| I stand in the office on one leg, raise my arms above my head and say “I want to be a tree”. Puts a smile on my face because it reminds me of a manger from years ago who was really into stress management with the staff. | |||||||
| Exercise (3) | Have time out with kids | speak to husband | Clean the house | Go for a walk | |||
| Deep breathing | Meditation app | Drink Wine | Watch trash TV | Clean and cry | |||
| Regular exercise | Watch favourite film | Play music | Run | Shoot bad people (on video games!) | |||
| Talk to friends and colleagues. Thinking it through helps | Eat chocolate | Put headphones in and dance around the house | Focus on family | Eat rubbish food | |||
| Play music and dance - even at work | Cry | Long walk | Try to do something fun | Scream | |||
| Talk about it to close friends and family | Paint | Listen to favourite music | Shout at the children | I eat and need sleep | |||
| I run or I walk and get rid of the cobwebs. Whilst walking I study everything around me and try to be really mindful of my environment. When I’m running I don’t have time to appreciate all of that but the constant dialogue in my head about going the distance distracts me from the stress. The buzz at the end is quite amazing…. | |||||||
There's no quick-fix cure for stress, but there are simple things you can do to help you stress less. These include relaxing, exercise, eating a healthy and balanced diet, and talking to someone. Remember, you don't have to suffer alone.
Not all of our reactions when we feel stressed are beneficial, some may make us think we feel temporarily better but have a negative impact on us.