5 Tips to Alleviate Stress
Nov 9th, 2007 by Rahul Bhambhani
As I was eating my cereal this morning, I started pondering an interesting question.
Is there a way to lead life without stress?
I’m the kind of guy that’s always looking for a way to lead a more relaxed, easygoing, and enjoyable life. Stress throws a monkey wrench in the mix, and stands in the way of my attempts to achieve this lifestyle.
I believe stress is our bodies’ natural response to not living in the present moment. Whenever we worry about the past or the future and fight the present moment, we feel stressed out. Obviously then, the key to relieving ourselves from our stress is to become fully absorbed in the present moment.
Here are a few methods I personally use to help alleviate the stress of the day-to-day grind.
- Be present: Whenever you’re feeling stressed out, take a minute or two to completely absorb yourself in the present moment. Pay close attention to all five of your senses, and focus on the stimulus your body is taking in. How does the seat you’re sitting on feel? Is it cold or warm in the room? Notice all of the colors around the room. Notice every sound in your environment. What do you smell? How would you describe the taste in your mouth? Allowing yourself to be absorbed in the present moment is one of the most relaxing things you can do, even if for only a few minutes. It frees your mind from the voice that is constantly chattering in your head, and this is an incredible relief. The great thing about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere, any time.
- Meditate: This is the same idea as being present, except I like to think of it as for an extended period of time, although it doesn’t have to be. I normally take 30 minutes in the morning to meditate. It almost immediately alleviates any stress I’m feeling at the time. See my article ‘Introduction to Meditation’ if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of meditation. Once you begin meditating, be patient. It’s a skill which takes a lifetime to master, but it’s a journey like any other activity you take up. Each step along the way is rewarding, and as you progress, new doors will open for you. At first you may experience only relaxation, but as you get better at meditation, it may turn into a spiritual endeavor that is a significant source of joy in your life.
- Do work that you love: This is a major point. If you’re spending 8 hours a day doing work that you don’t love for the sake of paying the bills, your life is bound to be stressful. Every day will be a drag, and you’ll never be able to relax. I know this is tough to chew on, but if you’re currently working a job you don’t love you’ve got to make some changes. The only way you will ever be able to lead a stress free life is to do work that you love.
- Leisure time: Setting aside time for leisure is another great thing you can do to alleviate stress. I know, I know, everyone is so focused on productivity these days, and engaging in leisure activities can be seen as “wasteful.” However, leisure time is critical to productivity in that it keeps you from burning out. Many motivation, productivity, and success gurus call it “sharpening the saw” because it’s a rejuvenating process. Working and being “productive” all the time can be highly stressful. Spend time with family, go out to a movie, take a long walk, go swimming, do anything to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. And while you’re doing it, only focus your attention on the activity at hand. Become fully absorbed in whatever it is you’re doing. You deserve the break. What you’ll find is you are much more relaxed after taking some time off, and you’ll be more productive while doing your work.
- Acceptance: Many times we are stressed out by circumstances in our external environment. Whenever you find yourself stressed out in response to your current situation, realize that you’re not accepting things for what they are. Don’t fight against the present moment. The more you do, the more stressed out you will be. In my article ‘How to Stop Wasting your Mental Energy’, I go more in depth with this topic, and provide some useful tips on how to accept the present for what it is.
Achieving permanence
Our end goal is to be in a state of present moment awareness permanently. In this state of mind, we will be completely free of stress, and every moment of our lives will be much more enjoyable. I’ve by no means reached this state of mind, but it is one of my ultimate long term goals.
As I make progress, I’m sure I will identify more methods to alleviate my stress, and when I do you can be sure I’ll share it with my readers! 
Please share any of your own stress-relief tips in the comments section below. I’m interested to read what you have to say.
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I used to get extremely worked up due to bosses who were not able to handle their own emotions and made the lives of myself and my colleagues immensely stressful. Ever since I have taken the path as a health coach, i have learnt that laughter can alleviate stress instantly. Laughing about the issue at hand, even if i had to compel my body to do so, immediately reduces the tension that i had felt.
Being able to detach yourself from the situation also helps. One must understand that it is our response to the situation at hand that determines the outcome that we feel i.e. level of stress. Choose how you want to react to unpleasant situations and you will lead a happier life altogether.
Adam
Adam,
Those are some great suggestions! I can’t believe I overlooked laughter, it surely is one of the best things you can do to relieve stress
Thanks for mentioning it here, and thanks for the comment!
Meditation is a major way to center oneself and allow for relaxation and growth. Even a little bit is helpful.
I have worked for the same company for 30 years and spent each lunch time working,as I never had time for ‘Leisure’. I discovered Steve Pavlina’s site whenI was desperate to find a solution to my stress. His site led me to yours. Since reading your articles, I have gone on a short walk form our office & discovered a beautiful woodland walk by the side of a lake, that I drove past everyday & was totally unaware of. Thankyou. My eyes have been opened. Incidentally, I tried Steve’s suggestion of ‘Presence walks’. Try this it really worked for me.
Thanks again. I’m off for a walk.
Bill,
I’m so glad that you’ve found some of the information on this site useful! Thank you very much for the compliment.
Walks are incredible, I know. I’ve been taking them for a while, and it’s funny how you notice things you’ve never seen before that were previously right in front of your eyes. I’m glad that you’ve found a way to alleviate your stress. That’s awesome!
I’ll definitely check out Steve’s article on “Presence Walks”, thanks for the tip.
Thanx a lot….