Feeling panicked and overworked? Stressed out all the time and struggling to focus? You just described the majority of the population. Unfortunately, being stressed and burned-out is rapidly becoming the “new normal” in a world where we have too much to do and not enough time to do it in. The good news is that with the ubiquity of this issue, there is also a large array of options when it comes to treating and solving it. Here are five ways you can feel better almost instantly.
Tidy
You can go Marie Kondo on your home or you can just do a little spring clean. Whichever you choose, you'll find that having a more organized space can instantly help you to feel better about your current predicament. If you only have five minutes, then just clear your immediate area. It's often enough!
Eat
If you're feeling very anxious, it might well be because you have allowed your blood sugar to drop. Something as simply as eating a meal can help to boost it back up and significantly improve your mood again. Our moods are tied extremely closely to what we eat, due to the link between our blood sugar and the release of cortisol and serotonin (the stress and feel good hormones respectively).
Go for Walk
Walking helps to engage the “default mode network” – the network of brain regions that spring into action whenever we're not doing something highly active. The result is that your mind wanders and you feel calm and creative. Fresh air and scenic views will do the rest. A five minute spin around the block is all it takes!
Meditate
Just five minutes of meditation can be more than enough to help boost your mood and help you to feel better. The aim of meditation is to calm your brain by focussing on something other than the negative thoughts you're currently experiencing – even if that “something else” happens to be nothing at all! Just set a timer for five minutes, and make an effort to push all concerns out your brain. It's that easy!
Exercise
Another way that you can overcome stress and anxiety is to exercise. This stimulates the release of serotonin, not to mention being extremely good for distracting yourself! Again, five minutes might well be enough. Just take a moment out and do 30 push ups. You'll get the blood circulating and feel better in no time.