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Remember how far away Christmas seemed in November? How we laughed at those smug and organised people who did their shopping ahead of time. But with just days left to go the reality has suddenly hit. It's nearly Christmas Eve and you haven't bought so much as a pair of socks.

Here are the stages your poor frazzled self will no doubt experience over the coming days. Stay strong. It's all be over soon!

1. The fear of making The List
WHY did your Mam and Dad decide to have so many kids? This is cruelty.

2. The panic on the bus to town as you realise you've forgotten a load of people
Ah Christ, the 17 cousins.

3. The rabbit-in-the-headlights feeling as you crush your way into the first shop
So. Many. People.

4. Settling for any old present even though you KNOW you could do better
But Nana would love this teatowel, she's all about the washing and drying. Isn't she?

5. That weird feeling of calm as you start to enjoy spending money on random frivolous gifts
I should take this up as a hobby!

6. … Until you remember to check your bank balance
Quick, return the €25 ceramic trinket bowl. QUICK.

7. Giving up after 2 hours for a "well-earned" break
I'm having mulled wine and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

8. Finally buying that last present…
And remembering you still have to buy wrapping paper, cards and gift tags. This torture never ends.

 

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We all know Christmas is just as stressful as it is joyful. Trying to get the perfect presents for everyone, battling crowds and bad weather, and finishing up last minute projects at work – December isn't exactly a relaxed month.

But if you're finding you're feeling unusually anxious and overwhelmed, it could be a sign that the holiday season is taking more of a toll on you than is healthy.

Here are six key signs to look out for… and some tips for dealing with them!

1. You can't stand the thought of another party

What's up: Usually you're the first one to put your hand up for a night out, but this year you just want to curl up at home and relax.

How to cope: Whether it's exhaustion, burn-out or just overstimulation, listen to your mind and body and allow yourself the time you need to get back on track. Don't be afraid to say no to a festive event – nobody will hold a grudge about it. Try to prioritise things you must attend over things that aren't essentials.

2. Your to-do (and to-buy) lists are never-ending

What's up: At Christmas time we're suddenly lumped with responsibilities and duties we don't have at other times of the year. It's easy to get swamped.

How to cope: When it comes to large groups of friends or relatives, why not suggest a Secret Santa? That way you can focus time and energy on one thoughtful gift rather than trying to buy 10 different ones. The same goes for siblings, if the rest of your family is game for the idea. Delegate responsibilities where possible – if you're always in charge of organising Christmas events at work or with friends, ask someone else to share or take over this year.

3. You feel like you'll never get into the Christmas sprit

What's up: Everyone else is posting Instagram shots of mulled wine and fairy lights, but you just couldn't be bothered this year.

How to cope: While Christmas is a time of fun and happiness, for some of us it's not always so lovely. Whether it's family stress or work issues getting you down, don't feel bad if you're not singing along to Wham! with everyone else. If you're feeling overwhelmed or struggling to deal with things, don't be afraid to talk to someone. 

4. You can't wait for January to arrive

What's up: Overindulging and not getting enough rest at this time of year can leave us feeling tired and sluggish. It's only natural we'd look forward to a clean and hassle-free January

How to cope: You don't have to go off the rails at Christmas when it comes to diet and partying. Sure, it's a time of fun and frolics, but know when to reign things in too. Make sure you're getting enough fresh air, even some moderate exercise, and a solid amount of sleep each night. Don't wear yourself our before Christmas has even arrived!
 

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It's not just the incidents in our daily lives that can have a negative effect on our mental health, but our own routine and thought processes too.

We might not think that our sleeping pattern or our exercise routine can have a direct effect on our state of mind, but the truth is, they can have just as much of an impact as outside factors can.

If you're feeling more anxious or down than usual, could one of these habits be part of the problem?

1. You're avoiding physical exercise
If you're feeling stressed, heading home and skipping the gym can seem like the best option. But that exercise session could in fact be a great help. Regular workouts can actually ease symptoms of anxiety and can help you to develop better mental health. Try to fit more exercise into your day – even a brisk walk on your lunch break is a great way to clear your head.

2. You're drinking a lot of alcohol
After a bad day, we often crave that glass of wine or G&T to take the edge off. But alcohol is a natural depressant and can actually make your mood worse. Drinking late at night also means your sleep pattern will be disturbed and you won't wake up refreshed and ready for the day.

3. You're not getting enough sleep
Getting the right amount of shut-eye is SO important for maintaining good mental health. If you're lacking in sleep, even simple situations can seem harder to cope with. Often anxiety and stress can affect how much sleep we get, so give yourself a fighting chance by winding down around 30 minutes before bedtime with calm music, no laptop or phone and a cosy environment.

4. You're over-thinking things
Focusing on the same subject and thinking the same thoughts over and over can make us feel instantly stressed, sending our heart and breathing rates shooting up. When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, try physically calming yourself down using deep breathing techniques. Get a change of scenery for a few minutes – even going into the next room or making a cup of tea can help.

5. You're holding onto anger
When we're annoyed or frustrated, sometimes it feels like the best solution is to avoid confrontation to avoid further negativtiy. But bottling up your feelings will only lead to them bubbling up in you further down the line. Try to communicate your feelings calmly or even just write them down to help you sort through them. You'll find this is more helpful than holding onto a grudge.

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The festive season really is a time of excess and indulgence, and it's easy to let your healthy habits slip.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid over the next few weeks…

1. Assuming all veg is healthy
Yes, vegetables are generally the best choice when filling up your plate, but be aware of how certain dishes have been cooked. Creamed veg or cream-filled soups should be eaten in moderation, and watch out for veggies that have been fried in butter or that have fatty or sugary glazes.

2. Not eating before a party
It might seem like a stellar idea to skip lunch so that you can make up for the lost calories with an extra cocktail, but eating less throughout the day will mean you're far more likely to overeat in the evenings. Mindlessly picking at plates of finger food is a surefire way to ruin all of your hard work. Keep healthy snacks like raw almonds on hand to keep hunger at bay before you head out.

3. Beating yourself up about skipping the gym
Christmas is a busy, busy time and some days it's impossible to fit everything in. If you've had to miss that spinning class or cardio session, it's not the end of the world. If you're finding that a daily hour long gym session is too time-consuming this month, try to fit in smaller exercise sessions – a 15 or 20 minute jog before your morning shower will do you the world of good.

4. Letting every day be a cheat day
You've promised yourself you'll be on top of your diet plan today, and yet your willpower disappears as soon as your co-worker arrives with a box of Roses. Try to save your indulgences for special treats – your mum's mince pies or that cheeky glass of Baileys.

5. Getting the office nibbles
Okay, you've had one biscuit from that Christmas box. Just the one, though. Until you get up to use the printer. Sure, just one more, so. It's easy to overeat on treats without noticing, so be aware of what you're snacking on and try to make healthier choices!

6. Cramming too much activity in
With friends and family to catch up with, your Christmas social diary can become over packed before you know it. Avoid burning yourself out by only saying "yes" to events you really can't miss.

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So many of us consider a day of shopping the ultimate treat… and then we do it. 

Why, oh why, do we always forget how stressful it can be?

Are we suffering from retail-induced amnesia or do we just refuse to admit that we find something which has been marketed to us as a traditional female pleasure completely unpleasurable at times?

Let’s all stand tall and admit that shopping is a MAJOR head-melt more often than not.

Here are 10 reasons why.

1) When the hangers don’t match the tags so finding your size on the rail is like an episode of Crystal Maze.

Question: Do the staff do it for their own personal entertainment?
Answer: Yes

2) When you’ve finally landed upon your dream dress and then discover a line of foundation along the collar.

Mmmm… another girl’s face. I’ll take it!

 

3) When the size 10 is too small and the size 12 is too big.

Why don’t sizes 9, 11, 13 and 15 exist? Why?

4) When a garment is absolutely perfect except for one detail which you can’t overlook.

Glitter epaulettes, anyone? *sigh*

5) When all ten items you’ve brought into the fitting room look so atrocious, you question your sanity and vision for having chosen them in the first place.

Get them off! Get them off!

6) When the mirrors are OUTSIDE the cubicle and you have to skulk out from behind the curtain to see yourself in ankle socks, hairy legs and a dress with glitter epaulettes.

It's fun being me.

7) When you’re dress shopping in winter and every fitting room expedition demands you strip off the 13 layers you dressed in.

This is a great way to spend a day. No, really.

8) Being told you’re only entitled to credit, so you take it as a personal challenge, but choose something you don’t even want, won’t even wear and aren’t even quite sure what it is.

Is it a cape? Is it a skirt? What are these tassels all about? I’d like one, please.

8) Being told it’s 3 for 2 on the rare occasion you couldn’t possibly need any more make-up or toiletries.

Argh, what’s this thing do? Nose-hair trimmer? Gimme and get me the hell out of here.

9) When a store decides you're three sizes larger than you actually are.

Thanks for that, guys.

10) Having no money and seeing all the things; having loads of money and seeing NONE of the things.

Why won’t you shut up and take my cash dammit!

 

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If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter to finish an essay or study for an exam, you’ll know that sometimes we can have superhuman powers when working under pressure. Five hours to write 5,000 words? No problem!

When you’ve no choice but to work quickly and focus on the task at hand, it’s amazing how much you can get done. Looming deadlines, though stressful, can act as fuel for our brain. When you’ve no choice but to get a project finished in the next two hours, well… you’ll more than likely find a way to get it done.

That’s how it is for some of us, anyways. Others might recoil at the thought of cramming so much work into such a small space of time. Where’s the mental preparation? The careful planning? The structured schedule?!

We all work differently. Your colleague at the next desk over might seem to fly through her work each day, while you struggle to fit in the bare minimum. Neither method is necessarily a bad way to get work done – but ideally we should try to strike a balance between the two.

Author John Perry coined the term “structured procrastination” – the art of getting things done by simply not doing other things. If your to-do list is too big it can seem endless, and you’re more likely to get overwhelmed and spend 20 precious minutes browsing Facebook to take your mind off things. If you can prioritise tasks realistically and only plan to do today what really, absolutely, most definitely needs to be done, you’re taking the pressure off yourself. Try to leave work or college every day knowing your top priority for the following day. That way you know what tomorrow will bring and you can focus on that Number One task before other things get in the way.

Research shows that one in five people are “chronic procrastinators.” That doesn’t mean that those people never get any work done, rather it means that they really are not motivated to do a task until it absolutely has to be done. If that sounds like you, try to use that knowledge to enhance your productivity. Divide each day up into realistic slots, with deadlines for each project or piece of work. If you have to set a timer or an alarm – do it. Your brain will be prodded into action for each new task – and there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with periodically ticking each item off your list.

Each of us has different limits and levels of output. The key is to balance what we want to get done, with what we realistically can get done. By understanding the distinction between those two things, you’ll find things become far more manageable. 

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It’s something we all think and say on a regular basis. Phrases like “there aren't enough hours in the day,” or “I just don’t have the time” form such key parts of our vocabulary that we almost announce them without thinking.

There’s no denying that our generation is the busiest yet when it comes to careers and everyday life.  However, having a long to-do list is very different to not actually having the time to do something or meet someone, or make that phone call. When you break down just how many free hours we have per week – those that are not spent working, studying or sleeping, the figures just don’t add up.

Even on a weekday, if the average person spends, say, 9 hours at work and 8 hours asleep, that still leaves 7 hours of free time per day. That figure adds up to 35 hours per week – not including weekends. So why is it that with 35 hours of free time at our disposal during the working week, we still “don’t have the time” to Skype our friend who lives abroad, or get to the dentist about that worsening toothache, or call a relative who’s been a bit under the weather?

A good tip I have heard to adjust your thinking when it comes to managing time is to replace the phrase “I don’t have the time” to “It’s not a priority.” You do have the time to do that load of ironing – it’s just not a priority. And, most likely, if you’re like me, that’s true. But when you apply the same language change to a task such as grabbing coffee with a friend who you haven’t seen in weeks, or calling your mum back – it’s doesn’t feel so easy to say “It’s not a priority”, does it?

When we choose to spend our time in front of the TV or Facebook-stalking someone for an hour, we are making that activity our priority. I’m not saying that Netflix-bingeing isn’t a completely worthwhile way to spend a few hours – it’s one of my own personal favourite activities – but we do need to notice the difference between doing something because we want to, and doing it because we believe we have nothing better to spend our time on.

So perhaps instead of trying to cram hundreds of tasks into one day, we need to clarify what our priorities are in life – what’s most important to us. Those are the things that are worth our time. After all, what’s going to matter to you most 30 years down the line – the fact that you have strong relationships with friends and family, or the fact that you never once missed an episode of Great British Bake Off?

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Anxiety, however it manifests itself, is a normal and expected part of life. Whether it’s brought on by stress, tiredness or an underlying disorder, people can experience anxiety over just about anything.

Whatever the cause, there are some simple steps you can take to manage anxious feelings and ensure they don’t exhaust you.

Take a deep breath
This might seem like the most obvious piece of advice, but when your heart is racing it can be easily forgotten. Stress triggers our fight-or-flight response and we begin to breathe rapidly from the upper part of our lungs only. That is why anxiety attacks are often associated with shortness of breath and dizziness. Try inhaling air deeply, first into your stomach and then into your chest. Hold for a count of four and exhale slowly. By repeating this breathing technique your body will soon get the air it needs and you’ll feel calmer.

Get a restful sleep
Easier said than done, we know. Give your body every opportunity to relax before bed, by switching off the TV and putting the phone away. Make time for just taking it easy – have a bath, read a book or sit down with a cup of herbal tea. If you find that bed is where your mind starts racing, try to write a few lines down on paper before turning off the light, to ensure your head is clear.

Address anxious thoughts
Our thoughts can often spiral out of control, leading us to the worst case scenario in a matter of seconds. Next time you find yourself thinking negatively, ask yourself, “Is this realistic?” or “How likely is this to actually happen?” Challenge your own mind and try to correct negative thoughts to make them easier to overcome.

Use your support network
Staying connected with friends and loved ones is extremely important to help you take control of stress or anxiety. Rather than bottling up what you’re feeling, make time for a phone call or catch up. Even if you don’t address the issue directly, engaging with someone can do the world of good.

Accept your anxiety
Stress and panic can seem overwhelming – giving you no time to sit back and get some perspective. It might seem like a step backwards to accept your anxious thoughts, but it can be a good strategy for controlling them. Be aware that any state of anxiety is temporary, observe it and let it pass.

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Some of us are just natural worriers and can’t think about anything without considering the absolute worst case scenario. Even if you can’t help stressing out every once in a while, there are certain things that just aren’t worth the energy of getting into a flap about…

Not having plans on a Friday night
Scrolling through Facebook, all you see are #partaaaaaay statuses and pictures of snazzy cocktails. Who cares though if you’re not out painting the town red tonight? Every self-respecting woman knows that an evening of Netflix, wine and pyjamas DOES in fact equal plans.

What your friends have achieved versus what you’ve achieved
Just because your best pal landed a dream job right out of college does not mean you should be beating yourself up about your current unemployment. Sometimes life throws a curve ball at you – believe in your abilities and remember that you have plenty of time to make your mark, too.

Not drinking enough water
Way back when, someone decided that eight glasses of water was the perfect amount for each of us to consume every day. Truth is though, we get water from many sources, so don’t add how much of it you’re drinking to your list of worries. Juice, coffee and tea all contain water, as do fruit, veg and even rice and pasta.

Overusing social media
Every generation has their bad habits, and if ours is that we rely on Twitter and Facebook too much, so what? Our own kids will be “addicted” to something else, as were our parents before us. It’s all good.

Settling down
Whether you feel pressure to move in with your long-term boyfriend, or if you’re worried that you’ve had a few too many one-night stands, it’s time to realise just how little these things will really matter in ten years’ time. You’re young! Enjoy your life and deal with all the grown-up stuff later.

What other people think
If there’s one thing you should DEFINITELY not waste your time worrying about, it’s what other people think of your actions, your opinions or your style. Firstly, most people are too busy stressing about their own lives to notice what you’re doing with yours, and secondly, anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself should not be a part of your social circle in the first place.

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Imagine the working week was reduced to just four days, think of the possibilities an extra day off would mean! And it could actually become a reality, well that’s if Britain’s leading doctor Professor John Ashton gets his way.

Professor Ashton believes that work-life balance has been forgotten and people are enduring very high stress levels, saying: “We need a four-day week so that people can enjoy their lives, have more time with their families, and maybe reduce high blood pressure because people might start exercising on that extra day”

Yes, yes we would exercise more if we had an extra day off, sure.

However, Neil Shah, founder of Stress Management Society has burst the bubble with his realistic notion that trying to fit five days work into four will just make people even more stressed.

He said: “In theory the idea of a 4 day work week is fantastic! However, in practice what often happens is that people will become more stressed when having to face the reality of squeezing five days’ worth of work into four days. This has the potential to exacerbate the problem of a high workload rather than fix it.”

We knew it was too good to be true.

Although, Neil does has a happy medium and suggests strategies are put in place to help people handle their work load like working from home or enjoying shorter working days.

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Nowadays, it’s all about multitasking and doing at least three or four things at the same time.

However, as stress levels rise, maybe it’s time we all sat back and took our time completing tasks.

This video dares you to watch it without doing anything else. Simply sit and listen.

Can you do it without clicking on another link, checking your Twitter or stalking your friends on Facebook?

Have a go!

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Life is stressful,  from trying to get good marks in colleges, finding a job, working in a job to the stress of simply living at home with your younger siblings, there is no escaping it.

Here are three signs you really need to relax and get rid of some of that workload:

Stomach cramps
Not pretty, but stress can lead to diarrhoea and constipation. One of the most effective ways to distress is to exercise- go out for a run or join a Zumba class and work that stress out of you.

Acne
Looking a bit spotter than usual? Well, you can put this down to stress. Apart from trying to unclog your pores or de-junk you diet, reducing stress will significantly reduce your breakouts.

Losing your hair
Now this is scary. If constipation doesn’t motivate you enough to de-stress, hair loss will. High levels of the hormone androgen is caused by stress and it’s because of this that your hair will temporarily fall out.

If things really are starting to get on top of you, talk to someone. While exercise is important for releasing stress so too is opening up about the problem. Try to sort issues at the source be it down to college, work or family problems.

 

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