Jordan’s Top 10 Stress Reduction Tips

Do what works

What’s one reliable stress reducer for  you? Is it running, cooking, reading, meditation, 7 hours of sleep, or something else? Whatever your answer, do everything you can to do this one stress buster today and every day.

Start or expand your exercise

There are few activities more beneficial for health and stress reduction than aerobics. If you don’t exercise at all, start small with a two-minute brisk walk or something similar today. If you're already an aerobic exerciser, consider adding a few minutes or variations to your routine. When it comes to aerobic activity, regularity and consistency are key.

Strengthen your sleep

Stress hates good sleep, so do everything you can to strengthen your sleep quality and quantity, including going to sleep and waking at the same times every day, sleeping in a cool, dark and quiet space, and even having a back-up place to snooze if a bed mate regularly wakes you.

Join or start a group

What are you really interested in? An author, artist, craft, language or helping people in need? Search for a group of others with similar interests, or start one if you can’t find one that matches your likes. You’ll learn, establish connections and become part of a community, all of which are important mental health supports for all of us.

Re-think and re-act

This is one of the more challenging tips here, but it can have a huge positive impact. When you feel upset about something, or something doesn’t go your way, or someone wrongs you, think about how you could think or act differently to make the stressor you’re dealing with less stressful and even beneficial. For example, can you take a different route to prevent the stress of daily commuting congestion? Might an unsuccessful sales pitch cause you to develop a stronger, more successful approach for future opportunities? Could you consider what could be contributing to a friend or stranger’s disrespect? Maybe they are dealing with a lot of stress themselves, or they never had empathetic role models, or perhaps their dog died yesterday.

Break

Take lots of breaks, even short ones. Why? Breaks break the stress circuit and open the door to sharper focus, more energy and feeling better. Everyone needs breaks, so take them without guilt. If you've been sitting for a while, incorporate movement into your break.

Get out

Whether it’s a 5-minute walk around the block, or a 5-day bike ride around the Grand Canyon, nature is a powerful stress reducer that’s accessible and affordable. Nature’s well-documented power to lower stress and anxiety, reduce blood pressure, alleviate sadness and depression, stimulate ideas and solutions, and many more benefits, makes it an essential tool for mental and physical health.

Do something fun

Having fun quickly blocks and reduces stress like few other things do, so come up with a fun activity and do it today. Then, do something else fun tomorrow and the next day... and every day. And to squeeze even more stress out of this fun thing, have it be something that makes you laugh.

Reach out

Don’t struggle alone. As challenging as it might feel to ask others for assistance, it’s a vital stress reducer and a route to ways out of your trying situation or mindset. The great news is that assistance comes in many forms, and a lot of it is free. Consider friends, relatives, helplines, counselors, or other sources for help, guidance, or simply as a stress-relieving outlet for your feelings.

Call or text 988

One place you can reach out 24/7, is the number 988, the free US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You do not have to be on the verge of harming yourself to call or text 988 — you can reach out when you wake up at 4AM feeling hopeless, or when you feel overwhelmed by a school or work project, or when you’re not sure how to deal with your very difficult 15 year old. 988 is only available to US and some Canadian callers, but similar resources exist in many other countries.