6 Ways to Manage Stress During a Move
Moving can be stressful. You have to manage your already existing routine of work, meals, kids/pets while trying to pack up your life at the same time. It’s a recipe for disaster in the making. I few weeks ago in my newsletter I wrote about 6 tips I have for managing chronic stress which can also be applied (in a modified variation) to a move.
CHRONIC stress can affect you negatively in multiple ways including increased inflammation, disrupted cognitive function, disrupted sleep patterns, weight gain, aging, etc. The good news is that there are ways to manage it and here are 6 of my favorite ways to do so.
Daily journaling: 30min each day to journal or read is a great way to calm the mind and practice some self-care. Write about the day’s accomplishments, goals, or just drop down some of the things that are weighing you down. If you decide to do the latter studies have shown that if you destroy the page with negativity on it you will literally feel lighter.
Diaphragmatic breathing:Not only lowers stress levels but also helps reduce blood pressure, and regulate other important bodily processes. The technique I practice and teach my clients is to inhale (5-count), pause and exhale (5-count) for 10 cycles.
Electronically Disconnect: As much as I enjoy connecting online, it’s easy to let social media get into our head! Next time you’re feeling anxious, put your phone away and go for a long walk and see how you feel.
Nutrition: This is key and the one I struggled with most during our move! Do your best to avoid the processed sugars, refined grains and alcohol. Focus on whole foods, getting in as many vegetable servings as possible, and hydrating to fuel your body + your brain.
Exercise: Daily movement is great for stress management the important thing is not to overdo it. Maintain a healthy balance between active recovery days and strength training without putting your body in a physical state of stress.
Gratitude: Mindset is everything. What we think about we bring about.
Focusing on self-care can feel selfish or self-indulgent, which tends to make us feel guilty for even wanting it. But believe it or not, you need to nurture your body and soul, fill up your own tank, and make your own needs a priority. Otherwise you’ll burn out, and that makes everything worse.
How do YOU manage stress? Comment below if there is a go-to technique that wasn’t mentioned above. If you are interested in a guided breathing exercising check out this video below
