In the United States alone, 33% of the adult population reported stress, anxiety, or great sadness since the COVID-19 outbreak started as of 2020. At last! 2020 has ended, and we have all so heartwarmingly welcomed the New Year. Well, here’s how to live a more stress-free 2021.
- Follow a routine
Stress is unpredictable and comes in many different ways. Due to the restrictions on movement, you find that there is so little to do in 24 hours. The hours seem endless, and with so much time on your hands, boredom sets in, and stress begins to creep in. One solution to this is to find a routine and stick to it. Having a pattern allows you to organise your way of living to put your time to good use. You could have a to-do list for each day and another one for the month making sure to check off the ones you’ve been able to do and starring the ones you genuinely couldn’t tackle for the next day.
- Give yourself a treat
Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Take care of yourself, as your first love should be you. Take care of your health, buy some new clothes and shoes, and pamper yourself; no one else would take care of you as you would yourself. Meditate, sit back and take a look at the aspects of your life you would like to change or improve on.
- Accept and face your challenges
To truly live a stress-free life, try to live in the present and stop overthinking things that cannot be changed and asking yourself ‘what if’. Take on the challenges as and when they come and try not to procrastinate. This is not to say you should overburden yourself. Instead, tackle one problem at a time.
- Relax
Enjoy what you have and not what you don’t have. It is of no use envying others and wallowing in sadness and self-pity or fussing over things you can’t change. You have life, and you should enjoy it! While you try to get things done, also make rest and relaxation time not to overwhelm yourself. If you can take a break from the media as it can get depressing quickly. Given the current pandemic, you might easily panic about whether or not you’ve been infected, especially if you have to get things done outside your home. In that case, consider taking a private covid test to bring you some mental relief. No matter the outcome, it is better to know than to live in fear.
- Surround yourself with family and loved ones
We’re not in normal times, and nothing is the way it used to be. There is too much going on in the world to surround yourself with people who don’t have your best interest at heart. Surround yourself with friends, family, loved ones, people you have shared interests with, and those who see you for who you are and accept you the way you are. Be with those who motivate you and push you to be the best version of yourself and make it a point to keep in touch with them. As much as you can, cut out toxic relationships.
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