During really stressful times, our brains sometimes cannot recall what is best to do for ourselves or our families. Being overwhelmed is a symptom of not having the ability to manage stress. Hey- I have been there thousands of times! Some of us with anxiety are just naturally more prone to feeling overwhelmed easily. It’s ok. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling that.
We are living in a world right now that is extremely stressful and uncertain at times. Did you know that anxiety is caused by worry and fear of the future and affects how we feel about our security and safety? Whether you are anxious or not, here are some ways to get your mind off the worries and fears of whatever is going on in your world.
25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times
Stay on track with your routine for yourself and your kids.
Move every day. Take a walk, run, or watch an exercise video online. Some of my favorites are Jessica Smith, Leslie Sansone, PopSugar, and Fitness Blender. I like a good mix of walking, strength, and interval training workouts.
Pray or meditate and read something positive daily. I like the apps Calm and Breethe and I just recently found a Christian app called Abide.
Take a break from electronics.  Too much screen time can cause more anxiety. Stop watching the stressful news all day!
Watch a funny show or video. Youtube has a ton of them! Seinfeld and Friends reruns make me happy!
Schedule in some alone time even if it’s only 15 minutes. Find somewhere in the house, even the bathroom, to be alone!
Go outside, explore nature, and get some fresh air. Soak up the sunshine for some extra Vitamin D.
Start a bucket list of places you want to eventually travel to and then go on Pinterest and pin them for future review.
Update your personal and professional goals. It will help you remember your purpose and stay organized.
Get your kids involved in self-care routines like creative play and healthy movement. For example, do a guided meditation with them.
Ten More to Go!
Clean your house one room at a time! Organizing and cleaning are my 2 top ways to fight anxiety.
Get rid of unnecessary clutter and old clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate to a charity.
Play with your pets. We have a dog and he brings so much joy and stress relief to me daily! They need love and exercise too!
Organize your closets. Put your winter clothes away and get out some spring clothes.
Movie night. Netflix and Amazon Prime have great choices for all ages.
Play board games or cards. My new favorites in our house are 20 Questions and Blank Slate.
Do some yard work. Gardening or an outdoor project at your house will keep you busy and outside in the fresh air!
Watch virtual tours online like Virtual Traveler, or visit museums all over the world. My favorite is watching the aquarium webcams!
Sing karaoke! The Echo Show has the option to display the lyrics. I can’t believe how many words to songs I get wrong!
Last But Not Least
Read the latest novel. Check out Amazon’s list of best sellers. I like reading on my Kindle usually but still enjoy actually picking up a real book
Expand your knowledge and take online classes. Udemy has some great options! There are some great apps too for learning a new language like Babbel.
Set up a virtual hangout for friends or family with Zoom or Google Hangouts, or House Party from the comfort of your home! I also like the app, Marco Polo, which allows you to send quick videos to your contacts individually or a group.
Meal preparation. Now that we have more time at home, I am trying to plan and cook more especially to avoid last-minute bad choices! For new recipe ideas, scroll through Pinterest, and watch cooking videos on Tasty or YouTube.
Talk to a professional like a therapist or coach who can offer some extra help on how to manage stress better. Most of them offer telephone or online chats.
Have a Plan
The best way to overcome those stressful days is to acknowledge what you are feeling and then have a self-care plan in place to refer to when needed. You know the quote “have a plan or plan to fail.” I find that having a printed out list works for me and then I can choose what I feel up to doing at that specific time.
Above all, please take care of yourself first so you can be there for your family. I chose to have faith that eventually things will get better. Stay healthy and positive. My prayers and thoughts are with you. Please share what stress management tools work for you!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
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I’m going to have to try 19 and 21 this week! Thanks for all of the suggestions.
Hi Noelle! Keep me posted on what works well for you 🙂
Thanks Jill. Great suggestions for sure. I just did a remote workout with my gym – it was great! We have become very creative these days.
Good for you! Our creativity is definitely being challenged in these times. Stay well 🙂
These are all great suggestions! I reduce my stress by starting with a soaking bath every morning. I’m then ready to tackle whatever comes my way!
Thanks, Diane! Taking baths is one of my favorite ways to unwind too 🙂
What a comprehensive list! People definitely need suggestions and reminders right now about what they CAN control. This list is perfect for that 🙂
Thanks, Hillari! I like to remember that we have control over our reactions to things 🙂
I love it how you specify here that our body hears everything. I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing.
I am happy that you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading 🙂
Great tips and so many useful apps! Thank you for sharing these!
Thanks, Debbie! Hope it is helpful to you 🙂
These are great tips! I like checking to see if I am doing what you suggested. I was 100% on the first ones which I think are the most important!!
That’s awesome Lisa! All we can do is try every day to do our best 🙂
Great ideas – always looking for new ones and found a few on here!
Thanks, Tiffany! I am so happy you found some new ways to practice self-care 🙂
Great list! I always like watching something funny to lighten the mood.
Thanks! We try to watch something funny a few times a day to lighten up everyone’s moods!
These are all great suggestions! Especially the moving every day tip and the not watching so much media advice. Thank you!
I look forward to my workouts even more now because they help relieve the stress of it all!
I love all of your tips and advice! Self-care and lowering stress is the best thing we can do for ourselves!
Thanks, Holly! Hope you are staying well 🙂
Hiding in the bathroom – I’ve done that for sure!
So funny. I just may work out of the bathroom to get more privacy with the kids home!
Thanks for sharing this much-needed information right now!
Hope it’s helpful to you 🙂
Pets and walks are sure a great release for me!
Pets are such a great stress reliever 🙂
Good ideas to keep oneself motivated and active
Thanks Jennifer!
These are great ideas! We are implementing some of them already, but you’ve given me some others to try. Thanks!
Awesome! Hope it helps you guys through this trying time 🙂
Great post! Our favorite card game is Phase 10! But it’s a long night when you play the whole thing! Lol
That’s a great game! Good way to spend time and keep your mind busy!
WOW! I really needed this today! My anxiety has taken over the last couple of days! Thank you so very much for your wisdom! You are so right! Take care of yourself and yours, thank you again!
I have had a rise in anxiety too. Just try to keep a good routine for self-care and connect with positive people to take your mind off things 🙂
nice list of ideas! i think a lot of people could benefit from reading this and implementing some of them
Thanks Jen!
Great tips & suggestions. We just enjoyed a virtual “party” last night. Great way to stay connected & not on social media 🙂
That’s awesome Suzan! I did this with my friends and it was great to connect!
I’m loving these! I’m going to share this to my fb page to refer back to.
Thanks for the share, Kendra!
I appreciated this post very much, I find myself getting very lost in the dismal situation we find ourselves in here after my wife and I were pulled off work due to her increased risk of complications with the virus due to her heart. I need to remember to keep moving and exercise and to take a step back and see some of the positives that this experience is giving us.
Hi Jason- take it one day at a time. This is very overwhelming so make sure to take some self-care breaks throughout the day. Hang in there 🙂
Great list! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Sydney!
These are great ideas! I was just saying I needed a virtual happy hour 🙂 Thanks for sharing this.
My friends and I plan a virtual happy hour every week to keep us connected and sane!
Thank you for sharing this! Wow!I’ve never thought of doing virtual tours but this sounds amaaaazing! Will need to do #18 and #21 also sounds fun!??
It is a good way to escape for a few minutes!
Such great suggestions! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for reading!
Great tips! I’m going to share this on my work FB page!!
Thanks for sharing the post-Melissa! Much appreciated 🙂
These are wonderful! I’ve read a lot more recently and started working out, I’m on week 2!
Working out is my favorite stress reliever because it works every time!