Ready, Set, Action: Time to Stress Less

If you want to stress less, these are some steps you can take to get ready.

Ready: Motivation for Stress Management

Everyone has stress, so what is the big deal? Too much unmanaged stress, experienced for too long, can lead to health problems, such as weight gain and increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems. Chronic stress can also dampen mood, increase anxiety, interfere with ability to concentrate, and cause indigestion and various aches and pains.

Who needs it? Instead, better stress management can relieve these symptoms. As you commit to lowering stress, it is important to remember that there will be ups and downs on the journey. Life, and stress that comes with it, will continue, and there may be times when you forget to breathe deeply before losing your temper, or you scarf down a pizza before realizing that journaling might have been a healthier outlet for frustration than eating.

As Lark will remind you, forgiving yourself and having compassion when setbacks happen can keep you focused on your mission to stress less.

Set: Mindfulness around Stress

If you are going to try to reduce the effects of stress, it helps to increase mindfulness around stress. That can first include identifying sources of stress. Logging with Lark can help you determine what makes you feel stress, and how it feels.

Action: Effective Stress Management

Everyone has at least some stress in their life, but how they respond to it determines its effects. Stress management can happen throughout the day, but it should not add to your stress! Lark can help with these and other stress management techniques.

Healthy Lifestyle for Stress Management

A healthy lifestyle can help mitigate many of the effects of stress. Eating well, staying physically active, and getting enough sleep can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar, improve mood and ability to focus, and increase energy

The thought of living a healthier lifestyle can be stressful in itself, but do not worry. Lark helps you make small changes that fit into your lifestyle to reduce, not add to, stress.

In-the-Moment Stress-Busters

What happens when you are running late, are about to have a meeting with your boss, or a car cuts into your lane in front of you? Lark offers coaching on stress management techniques, such as breathing deeply five times or phoning a friend, that can work in various situations to help you mount a healthier response.

Living Healthily with Stress

Accepting stress to help it be a healthy part of life can include doing what you can about the things you can control, and letting go of the rest. 

When you are motivated to stress less, know where stress is coming from in your life, and start making small changes to better manage your stress, you may soon find yourself stressing less. Lark can be there throughout the journey for support, inspiration, and guidance.