52 Proven Stress Reducers

Feeling stressed? Before you pull your hair out or have a complete melt down, try these "52 Proven Stress Reducers" from the American Lung Association. 

The entire list is great but a few of my favorites are:

4. Do nothing you have to lie about later. – This one made me laugh aloud because you’d think it would go without saying. It’s a great rule of thumb to live by and I’d add that it’s every bit as important not to be inauthentic. Trying to keep up a facade requires a great deal of energy and creates a near constant state of stress.

14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend. – We can be our own worst enemy in this regard. Letting go of perfectionism and unrealistically high expectations will significantly reduce stress.

15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count ‘em! – Acknowledging all that you have to be grateful for has an amazing way of putting everything in perspective.

18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. – This is especially relevant for entrepreneurs who have a tendency to be always on and connected. The world won’t come to a screeching halt if you turn off the phone, the "crack" berry, and the computer for some genuine downtime.

20. Simplify, simplify, simplify. – ’nuff said.

26. Monitor your body for stress signs. If your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take some
    deep, slow breaths. – How is that we can forget something as basic as breathing? But we do. We’ve forgotten how to breathe fully and just the simple act of taking even a few slow, deep breaths can instantly ease stress.

33. Learn to live one day at a time. – Better yet… practice living one moment at a time. Be fully present in each moment rather than allowing your mind to focus on the past or future, and you’ll soon discover those moments when you’re stressed and wanting to pull your hair out are few and far between.

34. Everyday, do something you really enjoy. – Again, better yet… enjoy everything you do, everyday. If you’re going to do something, whatever it may be, you might as well enjoy it.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do. – Add a pound! It’s impossible to feel and express love and stress at the same time.

52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Most people do the best
    they can. – Remembering this allows us to be much more forgiving and accepting of others and makes our interactions with others much less likely to be stressful.

Give yourself a break and check out the rest of the list. They’re great reminders of how to reduce stress and instead fill your days with greater ease and enjoyment.