Feeling Stretched? A Simple Guide on How to Relieve Stress

Learning how to relieve stress is one of the most important skills in our busy modern lives. Some days feel like a pressure cooker, no? 😥 The whistle is about to blow. Deadlines at work, responsibilities at home, the traffic, the notifications on your phone… it all builds up. Your shoulders feel tight, your mind feels cluttered, and you feel stretched in a hundred different directions.

Aiyo, that feeling is stress. It’s our natural response to the constant pressures from the world outside. This response to external pressure is a key concept in stress management, as outlined by health institutions like the WHO.

But here is the secret I am going to tell ypu: You are not a pressure cooker without a release valve. You have the power to gently let some of that steam out and find your balance. These evidence-based techniques are your guide on how to relieve stress and reclaim your peace.

Technique 1: The Mind Sweep (A Key Step to Relieve Stress ✍️)

When you’re stressed, your mind can feel like a messy, cluttered room. The Mind Sweep is a simple technique to tidy up and is a crucial first step in learning how to relieve stress.

• Why it works: Getting your worries out of your head and onto paper stops them from spinning in an endless loop. It allows you to look at your thoughts instead of being lost in them, which gives you a feeling of control.
• How to do it:
  1. Take a blank piece of paper or open a new note on your phone.
  2. For just three minutes, write down everything that is causing you stress. Everything. Big things, small things, silly things.
  3. Don’t worry about making it neat. Just let it all flow out.
  4. When you’re done, you have externalized the pressure, making it feel more manageable.

Technique 2: The Mindful Minute (Your 60-Second Vacation ☕)

We rush through our day on autopilot. This simple mindfulness technique is a powerful way to break the cycle.

• Why it works: Mindfulness anchors you in the present moment, giving your brain a break from worrying about past or future pressures. It’s a mini-meditation that calms the nervous system.
• How to do it:
  1. Pick a simple daily activity. Let’s use making your morning coffee.
  2. For just one minute, do only that one thing. Give it your full attention.
  3. Notice the warmth of the cup ♨️, the rich smell of the coffee, the taste on your tongue.
  4. If your mind wanders to a stressful thought, gently guide it back to the sensations of the moment. No judgment. This is a core practice for anyone wanting to know how to relieve stress effectively.

Technique 3: The Mountaintop View (Shrink Your Worries ⛰️)

When you are in the middle of a stressful problem, it can feel like a huge mountain blocking your path. This technique helps you get some perspective.

• Why it works: This visualization creates mental distance from the problem. When you see your worries from far away, they naturally look smaller and less intimidating, which is a powerful way to relieve stress.
• How to do it:
  1. Close your eyes for a moment. Take one deep breath.
  2. Imagine you are gently floating upwards, high above your current situation.
  3. Look down from your peaceful “mountaintop.” See yourself and your worry down below. Notice how small it looks from up here.
  4. From this calm place, ask yourself: “Will this matter in a year?” This helps put the stressor in perspective.

Technique 4: The Joy Snack (A Small Bite of Happiness 😊)

Stress drains our energy and joy. A “Joy Snack” is a tiny, scheduled moment of pleasure to refuel your spirit.

• Why it works: Actively introducing a positive emotion helps to counteract the physiological effects of stress. It reminds your nervous system that life isn’t just about threats; it’s also about joy. Sometimes the simplest answer to how to relieve stress is to actively seek out a small moment of happiness.
• How to do it:
  1. What is one tiny thing that makes you smile? A specific song? 🎶 The smell of rain on soil? Looking at a photo of a loved one?
  2. Choose your “Joy Snack.”
  3. Schedule it. Put it in your calendar. “3 PM – Listen to my favourite song.”
  4. When the time comes, give yourself the full two or three minutes to truly enjoy it without multitasking.

Finding Your Balance…

These tools can help you manage the daily pressures of life. But if you feel that the sources of your stress are constant, or that the stress is leading to overwhelming anxiety, it might be helpful to talk about it. Understanding how to calm anxiety is often the next step after managing stress.

Our psychologists are here to provide that supportive space to explore the roots of your stress and help you build a more balanced and peaceful life.