Reduce stress: here's how to do it

Girl. Are you stressed? Same. We all know it: you wake up, think you have a calm day ahead… and five minutes later you’re filling a lunchbox with one sock on your foot while your phone explodes with emails. Your boss asks if you can ‘just quickly’ fix something (spoiler: it’s never just quick). Multitasking has become no longer a skill, but a full-time job you should be paid extra for. I totally get that you’re feeling the stress. Even if you have a partner who – to be fair – is doing their best to share everything, you can’t escape it: stress follows you wherever you go. But hey, what do you do about it? How do you break that cycle of feeling rushed, sleeping poorly, having too much to do and too little time? We’ve figured that out for you. An article all ready to go, because yes: you don’t have the energy to research all that yourself. So pay attention.

1. Seek out calm (yes, real calm)

We start with something you actually already know, but secretly always postpone: calm. And I don’t mean “I’ll scroll for ten minutes on TikTok” calm, because your constant screen time is part of the problem. Real calm means going for a walk without a podcast blaring in your ears, or reading a book on the couch under a blanket. Take a nap without guilt or pick up an old hobby again. Do you remember how much fun you used to have coloring? Maybe you should do that again. Even if it’s just for an hour.

Why should you seek that calm? When you stop collecting stimuli, your nervous system finally gets the chance to step out of that ‘danger zone’. Your cortisol drops, your heart rate decreases, and that knot in your stomach takes a step back. Your body is really not made to be ‘on’ nonstop. So give it a chance to recover.

2. Get outside. Now. Immediately.

Sitting indoors is the new smoking. Your stress grows there like it’s a houseplant. There’s always something piling up: a living room to tidy up or a dishwasher to unload. How can you relax there? Go outside, that fresh air does so much for your head and body. Because honestly: when was the last time you felt stressed during a morning walk with autumn leaves under your sneakers? Well? Exactly.

So: go for a walk, try running. Drive to that forest and go hiking. Then you can also enjoy the autumn that is secretly passing by too quickly. Look around at all the beauty nature has to offer. Pure. Calm. Not into hiking or running? Then you can also walk in the city. Stroll through the city and treat yourself to a tea at that nice café at the end of the route. You’ve earned it.

3. Try breathing exercises.

Breathing. Seriously? It sounds ridiculously simple, but your breathing is basically the remote control of your stress system. If you breathe high and fast, as if you just ran a marathon, your body thinks: “We need to run for our lives.” When you breathe deeply and slowly, your body knows: “Oh, we can relax. Maybe we’ll have a cappuccino soon.”

Go for the 4-7-8 method, for example. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. By doing this a few times, you calm your body down again. Or choose box breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. Is the stress rising to your head so much that you think you’re going to have a panic attack? Then this is the perfect breathing exercise for that..

And no, you don’t have to be a yoga teacher, light incense, and wear a Gymshark workout pants to nail these exercises. You can just do this in your work chair while pretending to think about an email.

4. Make a plan (that is realistic)

Uh, maybe I’m triggering a little trauma? How many times have you heard from teachers, mentors, or coaches: “Just make a plan.” A schedule is of course not a magical wonder that suddenly reduces all your stress, but it can help you on your way to ‘healing’. Dump everything that’s in your head into a list. Really everything. Even down to the level of “feed the cat.” Then think about each point: does this really need to be done today? Can it be done tomorrow? Can someone else do it? And most importantly: does it really matter? Maybe you think it’s very important to sort all your Christmas cards, but you can also do that next weekend. Smart. And think realistically; you don’t have to make a three-course meal, you can also make a very nice main dish and be satisfied with that.

5. Dare to ask for help.

Do you not have a partner who supports you while you try to juggle everything? Then you first need to drop all your balls and get very angry. Because what is that person doing again? They live in your house too, right? Exactly, yes. So after a screaming session, you’re going to ask for help. Take over the groceries, or instead of watching a new series, fold the laundry. Or even better: do it at the same time.

6. Set better boundaries and stick to them.

No, you don’t always have to say yes. Not to your boss who sends something ‘small’ at 16:58. Or your friends who insist on meeting again and those random family members who expect you to plan the family day for the third time. Setting boundaries is not bitchy behavior. It’s self-respect. You can really tell yourself (and others) that it’s not going to work for you today and that you need some rest.

7. Let things be.

As a true perfectionist, this is sometimes still difficult for me, but it’s really true: it doesn’t all have to be perfect. Your house doesn’t always have to be perfectly tidy. And that laundry? Let it pile up once. Your work email can really be answered on Monday morning instead of Saturday. You were watching a nice movie, right? So put that work email on hold. And your family will really survive if you order something unhealthy once. You can treat yourself.

Sometimes you just have to accept that you need to lower the bar a bit. Perfection is just stress with glitter: it gets everywhere and no one needs it. Try to have one day a week where you don’t have to be productive. A day where you just do what feels good. Go for a nice walk, finish that series, read that book, or lie on the couch in your pajamas all day. If that’s what you need to get rid of your stress, then that’s okay. And you’ll see that your body enters a kind of relaxation mode that you’re craving.

8. Not everything revolves around ‘your tasks’

There’s more to life than all those practical matters. Your work is not the top priority, your mental health is. All those household chores or work appointments are of course important, but you don’t have to spend 100 percent of your day on them. Take the time to do fun things. Go shopping one weekend, or take a dance class. Go for coffee with your friends, do a pottery workshop. Turn up your favorite music and dance it out. Buy a movie ticket. Really – whatever you enjoy. Take the time to do it a bit more, and that stress will naturally decrease. You’re really too hard on yourself.

So. Are you stressed? Don’t worry: you can do this. You don’t have to wait until your body gives up or your head explodes. You can hit the brakes now. Give yourself some breathing room and remember these tips for the next time everything becomes too much. Be kind to yourself, okay?