There are probably many people that you meet that are either a) too busy or b) too stressed. More than likely a combination of both. Often our lifestyles are made to be hectic. We work the majority of the day, even if we are freelancers or small business owners. And the rest of the time is spent looking after the family, running errands, finishing work that you had to take home, trying to see people and on it goes. 

It is a lot by any measure. 

The focus has shifted on being as busy as you can for as long as possible to try to find a work-life balance that makes you feel good and avoiding building stress levels. Trying to live more relaxed is better for you and your family in the long run. Stressed out people often have mood swings, can be tired and may go on to develop depression or anxiety. Negativity can quickly become overwhelming. So here are some tips to help you relax your lifestyle and inject some calm - quickly. 

Remove

It is time to start saying no to the things that you feel like you can’t do, or that you know will bring you a lot of stress. We find saying yes so easy. Piling on extra work, social commitments, financial commitments, but there is only so much you can do. And if you are saying yes to everything you might just be hitting your breaking point. Learn to say no, remove the things that are a source of stress for you. It might be difficult if the stress is people, but it is better for you in the long run. Start by removing distractions that are taking up your precious time such as social media. Learn to limit things that don’t bring value to your life as well and you will quickly realize how much more time you have to make room for self care.

Therapies

You don’t have to head out and book the first talking therapist you find, but it might pay to investigate some ways that you can learn to relax and unwind. Often they are referred to as alternative therapies and come in the form of things like working with a yoga teacher, an acupuncturist, or a life coach. Book a special spa treatment. Finding different more natural ways of relaxing can be invigorating and exciting as there are so many different options out there that you may not even know about!

Meditation

At first, many people find meditating a little bit boring, or they can’t quite settle. Over time, after it gets built into your daily life, meditation will be something you want to do, not something you feel like you have to. It will teach you ways that you can quiet your mind, which means you can slide intrusive thoughts, and negative thoughts off to the side and replace them with positive ones. Over time this will make a difference to your thought pattern in general. Plus, those ten minutes that you spend will go by in a flash. Headspace is an excellent application for you to start your meditation journey, and Calm is another option. Meditation could also just be free writing and journaling or laying down and listening to some spa music while breathing deeply. Try whatever works for you!

Problem Solving

We, by nature, love to solve problems. But sometimes we see issues where there aren’t any. So sit down and think about what you deem to be your problems. Once they are all written down, see how you can reframe them. For example, is the bus stop moving further away from a bad thing, or is it allowing you to get your daily steps in? You parents flying in for the weekend - problem? Or an opportunity to try that recipe you’ve been waiting to try? We often build issues up to be much bigger, because we aren’t used to more positive thinking. 

Relaxing your lifestyle will give you breathing space to get back to the stuff you love, and maybe introduce you to some new hobbies too!

Leave a comment down below and let me know how you plan on incorporating one of these tips into living a more relaxed lifestyle or if you already do incorporate one, how has it changed your perspective or life?