Stressed Out? These 6 Bad Habits are Making it Worse.
Put. The coffee. Down.
We like to think of Moodica as the biggest, most beautiful stress ball in existence. And you know why? Because everyone is stressed out these days. I’m stressed. You’re stressed. Every single person sitting next to us on the morning train to work is stressed. Same goes for every single person stuck next to us in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home.
It’s a fact of 21st century living, and we’re reminded of it on a constant basis. Whether it’s just browsing through our feeds, going through our bank statements, or watching the news, there’s no arguing the fact people are more stressed out on a daily basis now than ever before in history.
Let’s take a second to remind ourselves of the basic definition of stress: it’s the way our brain responds to a specific need. The weight of that need results in stress, both minor and major. Whether we’re talking about something relatively minor, like, “Oh crud, it’s almost 5 o’clock and that report isn’t finished yet I better hustle,” or something a bit more serious, like getting test results from a doctor, the point is your brain is doing what it’s hard-wired to do: react defensively and, in acute situations, go into fight or flight mode.
The point is this: while there’s no arguing the fact that you may be experiencing a legitimately stressful time, whatever the cause may be — work, family, finances — there are ways to positively deal with it, which we’ve discussed here at Moodica before.
There are also ways to make it worse.
The bad news? Bad habits are so much easier than good ones, and chances are that bad habits are making your stress worse without your even realizing it. This is extremely dangerous, because from that point it can turn into a slippery slope from general stress to something much more chronic — generalized anxiety or, in many cases, clinical depression.
The good news? Once aware of those habits, you can begin to take steps to effectively managing your stress and taking control of your life again.
Here are 6 bad habits you’re doing every day that make your stress even worse:
#1. Morning Chaos
We’ve written about the importance of having and sticking to a morning schedule before. Being mindful in the morning is one of the best ways to offset stress, and it’s also something you have complete control over. Set a schedule, stick to it, and don’t skip it. Ever. Your body needs it, even if your mind is telling you to just…hit…the…snooze….
#2. Letting yourself go …
When you’re stressed out, you are tired. As in, don’t-ever-talk-to-me-ever-again tired. Your energy is at zero, and with it, the willpower to do anything except get home, eat, and sleep. This is natural. It is also toxic. The last thing in the world your body needs is for you to deprive it of endorphins — think of them as natural painkillers — just when it needs it the most. You don’t have to do spin class, but do go for at least brisk walk outside, or even yoga.
#3. …and letting you apartment go
If your laundry is on the floor and the dishes are stacked high, believe it or not, it has an effect on your brain. Excessive clutter negatively impacts your ability to focus (that goes for your work space as well). VeryWell magazine suggests incorporating mindfulness into cleaning, which can actually work as a form of meditation.
#4. Too much caffeine
Caffeine is the ultimate crutch when we’re stressed out, and we’re not saying to give it up. But remember: caffein is a drug and the dopamine levels that increase in your body after consuming caffeinated drinks work just like amphetamines, leading to a crash. The same is true of your adrenaline levels. This is not a healthy cycle, so be smart. Limit your intake and keep it regulated: perhaps before physical activity, and give yourself a cutoff time.
#5. Negative thinking
When your entire life feels like it’s spinning out of control it is only too easy to view everything negatively. Our favorite punching bag? Ourselves. The surprising way to deal with this is not to simply “stop”. In fact, psychologists agree it’s important to accept those emotions —to acknowledge that“yes, I’m being obsessive about not getting a promotion” or whatever the issue is. From there, you can start a new discussing with yourself, one that’s based in reality instead of your (most likely) non-existent worst-case-scenario.
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