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Our world has been turned upside down. The Coronavirus pandemic has shattered our physical, economic, social, and emotional realities which results in extreme stress and trauma. As a counselor, I am trained to remain calm in stressful situations and to help other people find their calm. I find this year’s Counseling Awareness Month theme of #BurnBrightNotOut especially relevant given the uncertainty in our world. As helpers and healers I believe it is our responsibility to model self-care behaviors and lead by example.
People often ask me what I do to reduce stress and remain aware of possible signs of burnout. Here I share five things that help me decrease stress. I hope this short and sweet list helps you think about things that help you destress. I suggest taking time every day to assess your stress level and take action, even if it is just for a few minutes a day.
1. Yoga. One of my favorite activities to reduce stress is yoga. I experience heightened mind-body and body-mind relaxation through this activity. No matter how I feel before I step on my mat, I always feel good after a yoga class. Because studios are currently closed to help flatten the curve and to help people maintain social distancing, I’ve turned to streaming classes online. My favorite free streaming class right now is CorePower Yoga’s C2 Hip Mandala with Nicole P.
2. Running. I recommend exercise of any kind to decrease stress (as long as you have medical clearance from your physician). Sometimes the weather is not ideal for running, so I try to take advantage of nice Midwestern days and get outside when I can. I love running for a variety of reasons. In addition to the physical benefits, running helps me clear my mind and create a blank slate to help me refocus on personal and work tasks with renewed energy and clarity. And even though running is a solo sport, there is an enormous sense of community among runners. It is helpful knowing there are other runners out there still striving for their goals, whether it is a 90-second run or ultra-marathon, we support each other's determination as a running community. (For tips about maximizing your mind while running, check out The Role of Running in Psychology.)
3. Music. I love audio streaming services more than other forms of entertainment. (Am I the only person not watching Tiger King?) I like listening to content that I consider low stress and intriguing. I have a favorite playlist of music that is eclectic. I really like acoustic guitar sounds and found a teacher at Guitar Chicago who specializes in helping busy professionals decrease stress through music. I find the repetition of practice to be meditative and relaxing.
4. Mental Health. I think it is good practice to regularly examine our mental health. If I feel unbalanced, I take inventory of my mental health and assess things that I can do to enhance my thoughts and feelings. Putting a name to our thoughts and feelings gives us the language to resolve them when we feel unsettled. I wrote Demystify Mental Health, a free ebook and workbook, to help people understand how to examine their mental health in an easy-to-understand way. I’ve found that examining ideas included in the workbook help me reconnect with myself and build upon my existing strengths.
5 Take a Break From Technology. Like many people, I utilized technology as part of my career and for connection to others. I have interactions with my counseling graduate students and clients via video conferencing, I am active on social media, and I spend a lot of time writing (writing is another stress reducer for me!). Too much technology, including the 24 hour “breaking” news cycles, can be overwhelming. Not only is it overstimulating emotionally, the glow of devices has an impact on our brains and bodies. When I feel physical stress related to technology, I take a break to give myself time to disconnect, stretch, and unwind. I let my loved ones know that I will be offline for a while and dedicate a specific amount of time, which varies depending on my schedule, away from all devices, including phones, computers, TV, and streaming services. Doing this feels like a reboot and helps me regain a calming presence.
I practice what I preach and I help people examine their own levels of stress. There are countless responsibilities in our lives that add to our stress levels and it is in our power to increase our relaxation responses to combat what can feel like out of control stress. Do you have favorite activities to help you destress? Please share your ideas in the comments.
