Woman taking a peaceful time-out at the pool to relax and balance her stress hormones naturally.

Most people feel stressed from time to time amidst the hustle-bustle of a fast-paced society. Stress raises both our heart rate and blood pressure. Left unmanaged, stress can negatively affect our health.

How to relieve stress? One way to manage stress and improve your mental health is to take active steps to experience positive emotions for a better quality of life. Here are some tips:

Finding Enjoyment in Your Life

Be curious

Make time for things outside your daily or regular routine.

  • Take a different route or form of transport to your workplace and appreciate the new surroundings.
  • While at work, rearrange your routine tasks e.g. deal with clients first and then do the account books or vice versa.
  • Stop along the way home to soak in a scenic view (a park or reservoir, the setting sun).
  • Have an inquisitive mind and take an interest in new things that inspire you and fit them into your daily life.

Experience tranquillity

Take time for your own thoughts and dreams.

Make quiet time to reflect on matters other than work-related thoughts. You can employ deep breathing or other relaxation techniques to do this.

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Think along the lines of happy memories in the past, future events you are looking forward to, or simply things that help you unwind (e.g. a field of sunflowers, the sun setting, children playing).

Enjoy affection

Companionships, relationships, friendships.

We all need the comforting presence of love in these relationships.

  • Make time for social gatherings with friends. Find a physical activity everyone enjoys and get fit together; regular exercise can help reduce stress too.
  • Have a meal with your family on a weekday evening.
  • Go on a romantic date with your spouse.
  • Catch up with an ex-colleague or a friend whom you have not seen for a while.
  • Make time for the people around you, however hectic your schedule may be, and appreciate the warmth in these meaningful relationships.

Laugh

Laughter is more than a smile, for it fuels our inner senses, decreases our burdens and lightens a difficult situation. Laughter is a wonderful stress relief technique. So actively source for people or situations that can arouse laughter within you and take the approach to look for the positives instead of the negatives in daily activities.

Tips to Enjoy Life

  • Be curious. Take time out from your daily work routine and try something new or different.
  • Stay connected with family and friends. R​elationships provide love and warmth in your life.
  • There is always a positive side to every stressful situation, things may not seem so bad after a good laugh.​

Download the HealthHub app on Google Play or Apple Store to access more health and wellness advice at your fingertips.


Read these next: