Community

Stressed Out and Burnt Out?

3 Simple and Effective Ways to How to Manage Stress Now There’s no doubt about it—life is stressful. Normal daily activities such as working under tight deadlines, sitting in a traffic jam, caring for an ill loved one, or even waiting in line at the pharmacy can make us irritated and tense. We may also … Continued
Angela Ficken

Angela Ficken

2 Min Read

3 Simple and Effective Ways to How to Manage Stress Now

There’s no doubt about it—life is stressful. Normal daily activities such as working under tight deadlines, sitting in a traffic jam, caring for an ill loved one, or even waiting in line at the pharmacy can make us irritated and tense. We may also find it difficult to unplug and relax when we have our phones and laptops by our sides with the expectation of being available until we go to sleep. So, what are the keys to managing stress, and preventing or bouncing back from burnout?

Here are some of my favorite tried-and-true stress management tips:

Recognize That We’re Stressed Out and Burnt Out:

Although it may be obvious, the first step in managing stress has to do with recognizing that we are stressed and burnt out. This starts with paying attention to our bodies. If our muscles are tight, we’re breaking out in hives, or our jaws are clenched, then these are signs we are stressed. When this happens, we should focus on our breathing to calm down as the first line of defense.

Movement, Motivation, and Mindset:

Getting up and moving around throughout the day can help improve our mindset and relieve stress. Stepping away from our computer and desk every hour or two can help to clear our brains, shift our focus, and decrease stress overall.

Whether it’s getting up to get water, grab a coffee, or a snack, moving around can increase our motivation and enhance our mindset.

Small Incremental Steps Lead to Success:

And finally, learning how to break every day into small slivers, not chunks are the keys to making doing daily tasks more manageable. Taking things one step at a time makes tasks more doable. When we try to tackle more than one thing at a time on our to-do list, the process can seem overwhelming, leaving us frustrated or annoyed, not doing any of it.

If you would like to learn how to manage stress in all facets of your life, check out our stress management course.

Author(s)

  • Angela Ficken

    Boston-based psychotherapist and entrepreneur

    I am a therapist who will challenge you to work on becoming the happier, healthier self you envision. I am an active listener in sessions and believe that providing feedback is the best way to challenge behavior patterns and to ultimately help you connect with your own strengths, wisdom, and inner resources. I ask questions and will engage you in a thoughtful way while providing you with a non-judgmental, supportive environment. I use several therapy strategies to guide patients toward accomplishing goals: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Supportive Psychotherapy Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) – Exposure therapy is specifically used for people diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Each individual comes with different experiences and needs, therefore we might use one or all of these strategies based on what you want to work on. I believe in progress, not perfection and that with every problem there is an opportunity for growth.