Can We Live a Stress-Free Life?

Is there such a thing as a stress-free life? It is impossible to be stress-free as long as we are alive. But we can reduce or manage our stress so that it does not overwhelm us.

1. Know your stresses

First and foremost, we must identify what stresses us out.

No two people are entirely identical in their responses to stress. For example, if I want you to run continuously for 5 km, you may be stressed if you have some physical limitations. But a 5 km run could be a relatively easy task, without stress, to anyone who is fit and has been running daily.

So we must know what causes us stress in the first place. Once you identify what causes you stress, you are in a better position to manage it compared with another situation where you don’t.

I feel stressed if I am late for an appointment. So I will give myself more buffer time. Also, I am stressed if there are last-minute assignments that I have not completed. Therefore I would prefer to do any work earlier to manage my stress.

2. Exercise regularly

Another way to reduce our stress is to exercise regularly. Physical activity releases endorphins, which improve our mood and helps us to manage our stress. Endorphins help relieve pain, reduce stress and enhance your sense of well-being.

I do regular walks and jogs early each morning. A routine exercise program is helpful and gives me a reason to wake up early.

3. Sufficient sleep

Sleep can also help in managing stress. If you can go to bed at a regular time and have enough sleep, your body will handle stress a lot better.

I go to sleep at the latest by midnight each night. Sometimes, I go to bed later, but I am conscious that I need enough sleep for the next day.

4. Space out social activities

You need to plan your activities carefully. We may be stressed if we rush from one activity to another throughout our day. We will be less stressed if we can have the proper breaks between every activity. So we cannot say yes to every invitation. We need to limit our involvement in social activities to have time to rest.

My rule is to have at least one to two hours between appointments to have sufficient time for travel between the two meetings. Also, I do not habitually say yes to every social invitation. I weigh the decision of attending or not attending by asking myself: “Do I need to be there?” or “Why do I need to be there?”.

If I accept every invitation, I will always be busy, making me more stressed.

5. Spend time with people we care about

Finally, we need to spend time connecting with friends and loved ones. Have a support system where people can encourage and listen to us. We cannot live without the friendship and love of the people around us.

Isolation itself is a form of stress.

At work, I enjoy regular lunches with familiar and encouraging colleagues. Such habits will help us develop a network of support to minimise stress. If you feel that certain friends create tension when encountering them, I’d recommend avoiding them altogether.

6. Alone time

Spending time alone in solitude helps us reflect on our lives and is healthy for our minds. We need to be away from crowds of people so that we can be ourselves, and time being alone can heal us of stresses in our life.

I like to walk to and from my office if I am not hurried. The distance of about 1.5 km allows me to be alone to take a slow walk through a park which is good for relaxing my mind.

Find an opportunity to be alone to manage your stress and feel good about yourself.

7. Write down your thoughts

Writing and composing an essay like this can relieve stress if we do it right. Take time to write; do not hurry if you need more time to think through your writing. The key focus is to enjoy your writing and not to manage more stress. You will not be stressed when you find a comfortable rhythm and pace.

I hope you can find some help from the points I shared. Although we can never eliminate stress, we can manage it not to affect our health and minds. Living healthy has a lot to do with minimising the stresses in our lives.