There are things that all of us dread each day – the daily commute to work, having to deal with people who stress you out, daily chores that never seem to end and fighting to get ahead in the world. You may even hate having to exercise to keep healthy.
Debilitating stress doesn’t just come from extra burdens that come around such as illness, relationship problems, anger and frustration. Common, daily stressors can eventually get you down over time.
But what if you could make those daily stressors fun?
What if your daily commute could turn into a time when you actually enjoy being caught in traffic?
It might sound impossible, but it’s very doable. Here’s how…
Travelling on Your Daily Commute
Traffic seems to be getting worse, even in areas where there never used to be a problem. You may get tired of listening to music – although relaxing music is a great way to calm down.
Finding something different to make you relax and enjoy the commute isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Many are turning to podcasts for a different way to spend travel time that’s fun, informative and relaxing.
Whether you’re on public transportation or driving, podcasts are a great way to laugh, learn or be entertained. Many are free.
Apps that can help you organise and stay on top of things is also a way to make your commute a time of progress rather than dead time.
Be Entertained
Just want to be entertained on the long commute to and from work? Try some comedy podcasts.
Be productive
If you want to be productive on your commute and someone else is doing the driving, take some time to get caught up on emails. They can really pile up and cause stress. Your commute is the perfect time to clean out your inbox.
Get smart
Take some time to engage in creative endeavours. If you have a hobby or passion, you can learn more about it by listening to podcasts (if driving) or reading about it if you take other transportation types.
Get lost in a book
You can also use the time during your commute to read – or listen to – a good book that simply whisks you away into another world and take some time off from the world you’re in.
Commuting can take up an enormous chunk of time – averaging over six hours per week – or over 300 hours per year. That’s way too much time to just let flit by in frustration of being stuck in a car or on a bus or train.
Take the time you’re commuting as an opportunity to get closer to reaching your goals, reducing stress by being entertained or learning something. You may not be able to change the time you commute, but you can control your reaction to it.
Spend Less Time with People Who Stress You Out
Some people are just stressful to deal with on a daily basis – or even once in a while. But if you prepare yourself ahead of time and take control of the situation, you’ll feel less stressed and more in charge of your life.
Co-workers are sometimes the most stressful people to deal with. You may not be able to avoid them or cut them completely out of your life, but you can take some steps to relieve the pressure.
When you can’t control the uncontrollable, such as being around annoying co-workers, focus on what you can control in the workspace, like choosing how you react to the problems.
Minimise contact
Think of ways you can minimise your time around these people or even cut them out of your life completely. React to the stress co-workers can cause by choosing ways to remain calm and how you can control the impact of the stress.
Relatives can also be stressful to deal with. They’re part of your family circle and you don’t want to just cut them out of your life. Another way to deal with them is to spend less time around them.
Just say no
Learn how to say no to events or invitations that you don’t want to attend and that would put you more in contact with the relative. When you do have to be around them, prepare yourself beforehand.
You can control your reactions to what a person says or does. Prepare responses and think of ways to minimise the stress of being around the person – like spending your time with another relative who you enjoy.
It’s the same with friends. A person who you were close to at one time might be a stressor now. Is it you that changed or the other person? It may be time to spend less time around the friend or have a long talk about where you think your friendship stands at the present time.
If the friendship is worth salvaging, you can both be in on the process. At least you’ll both be able to address the problem and think of ways to solve it. Not expressing your feelings to others you have a relationship with can build the stress you feel.
Home life
Stress may also be a common factor in your home life if the relationship with your spouse (significant other) or kids is problematic. If your immediate family is wreaking havoc in your life, it may be time to reassess your relationships.
It’s important to find out what went wrong and how you can fix the problems before things spiral out of control. If the stress point is that you don’t spend enough time with the family, try to think of ways you can reverse that.
For example, rather than spending an inordinate amount of time shopping for groceries, try ordering them online. Most supermarkets have plans that you can either pick them up at the store or they will deliver them to your home free of charge.
Saying no to outside activities that you don’t really enjoy or feel obligated to is another way you can find hours more to spend with your family. Sometimes all it takes to get you back on track is the willingness to talk about and find solutions to the problems.
Rather than stressing over spending time with a person, decide how you can deal with it. Sometimes it requires a few conversations with the person to iron things out and get your views out in the open. Having a conversation rather than stewing over something is often the best course of action and can lead to improved relationships all round!
Exercising for Health and Fitness
Thinking about exercising can be a common stress factor – or a proven and ultimate stress reliever. Exercise can help you maintain your health and mental well-being and can help melt stress away. You may simply have to get a positive mindset and just do it.
Exercise ceases to be a stressor when you begin to think about it as fun and when you begin to realise that exercise can help minimise the other stressors in your life. After regularly exercising for a while, you’ll begin to see and feel positive changes in your body and your mindset.
Choosing exercises you enjoy can make a difference in how you respond. You could benefit greatly by choosing a combination such as aerobic (dancing, jogging, swimming or biking) and strength (resistance) training like weights or bands.
The benefits you get from exercise are in the multitude. You probably know most of them – increased endurance, mental acuity, heart, lungs and lower risk of chronic diseases. You can improve your balance and stay limber as you age.
When choosing exercises, try to create a balance of those exercises that tend to work all parts of your body. And don’t forget core exercises. They can help your balance and prevent falls, as well as prevent lower back injuries.
Try setting goals in your exercise and fitness pursuits. They should be challenging, but also realistic so you don’t feel frustrated and give up. Then, reward yourself when you reach a goal with a new outfit or going to the movies.
Deciding which exercises to do so the thought of them doesn’t stress you out is extremely important if you’re going to stick with the program and improve your health and fitness. That’s a personal choice and one you may need to hit and miss before you find the best one(s).
Exercise becomes less stressful to think about when you make it a habit. The best way to do that is to make a commitment to a time schedule and then set clearly defined goals for what you want to accomplish.
Think about getting a partner to make the exercise more fun or varying your exercise routine from one time to the next so you won’t become bored and give up. Also, choose a time of day that’s most comfortable for you and is something you can sustain long term. If you’re hopeless at getting up at the crack of dawn it’s unlikely that you’ll keep in a regular schedule of getting up at that time to exercise so choose a time that works for you.
You don’t want to do strenuous exercises just after eating or maybe when you’re stiff in the morning. Give yourself time to warm up before actually engaging in the exercise so you won’t be sore.
Include some exercises where you can listen to music, watch television or read as you work out. A treadmill or stationary bicycle is great to combine with your time exercising. Track your exercise routines with an app so you can look back and see progress. A rebounder is good, and I often watch some engaging TV series whilst jumping – it takes my mind off the repetitive exercise and passes the time much quicker!
Never give up. No matter how stressful it may seem to include exercise in your schedule, it’s well worth the effort. Keep on track any way you can and eventually, you’ll be glad you did.
After Work Work
You’re on your way home from a stressful day at work and thinking about all the housework you have to do before you can relax and have some time for yourself. Or, perhaps it’s the weekend – same thing.
Everything you didn’t get done on the evenings after work has piled up, and you’re looking toward a weekend of chores. Cleaning house, laundry, cooking meals and helping kids with homework can all be stressors unless you can find ways to have fun while you’re doing it.
Enlisting help from the family – in a fun way – can make housework go faster and help you reconnect. While you’re cooking or cleaning together, brainstorm ideas for your next holiday or think of recipes you might all like and experiment with them.
Laundry can go faster if you fold and hang up clothes while watching a good television show. Challenge members of your family with games while helping you.
If you’re alone while performing housework, put on some favourite music and dance around with the broom or mop and get your daily dose of exercise in.
Join in the singing while you’re bopping around. Try opera while you’re cleaning the shower and chiming in with some pop music while you’re sweeping. Dress up in an apron, soft slippers and a turban around your hair to get in the mood. Make it fun!
Kids Homework
Helping kids with homework can be a huge and exhausting chore. The nagging alone can become a stressor that makes you long to stay at work for the evening. The battles over homework can stop if you can find ways to make it fun.
It’s best to have a plan in place before school even starts for the year. Set two or three goals that help to address your child’s weakest areas in school. Let your children help you decide what those are.
If they have problems with getting homework done before bedtime, an earlier starting time to begin assignments is in order. If they hate to read, perhaps you can help them choose a reading spot – just for reading, where they can concentrate.
When you insist on a daily schedule for your child, things run much more smoothly and peacefully. Housework and homework can become less stressful when you plan ahead and find ways to execute them with a bit of imagination.
Try a new schedule
If there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to do everything it takes to get ahead and still maintain your health and stability, try a new schedule. Get up early to exercise rather than leaving work early – or get help to organise and deal with mounting bills.
Taking as much of the daily stress as possible out of your life while you’re struggling with school or work can help you function much more effectively and gain a better understanding of what you have to do to get ahead.
One of the best ways to be efficient and thereby function more effectively is by writing to-do lists. It sounds very simple, but it’s very powerful. At the beginning of the working day, write a list of the things you have to do and what you want to accomplish by the end of the day – don’t make it an impossible list, it has to be realistic otherwise you’ll feel defeated at the end of the day when you don’t finish everything.
The fun part is – as you complete each action, cross it off the list! And if you find yourself doing things that aren’t on the list, write them down anyway and cross them off. At the end of the day you’ll see more items crossed off than not, and you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Use this at home or at work, even at the weekend. It can turn a stressful life into an orderly and approachable routine!
