Kristel Bauer, wellness expert and podcaster, gives us some top tips to manage stress, from morning routines to breathing techniques.

We have all faced new stressors in 2020 that have made having effective stress management techniques incredibly important for optimal health and wellbeing. Whether it has been juggling working from home, managing e-learning, or dealing with quarantines and social distancing, we all have been in uncharted territory!

Being an Integrative Medicine Fellow and having practiced in Integrative Psychiatry, I have learned the importance of supporting ourselves with daily self-care practices.

There truly is no better time than now to start moving in the direction of optimal health and wellbeing!

Here are some tips to manage stress and help you feel your best:

• Start your morning with a nourishing routine and aim to take time for yourself first thing. Personally, I meditate in the morning, read some inspiring words, journal, and then exercise. This sets me up for feeling my best all day. I think this is key to a successful fulfilling day.
• Start practicing mindfulness. Anchor yourself into the present moment by focusing on your breath and utilising your five senses. Regular mindfulness practices can actually lead to positive changes in the brain!
• Optimise your breathing. A lot of people hold their breath and breathe shallowly with stress. Focus on relaxing your muscles and breathing deeply from your belly to de-stress.
• Start to meditate, even if it’s for 5 minutes a day. Sit in a quiet space and focus on your breath.
• Exercise! This is a large stress reliever and it supports optimal mental health. Make sure to talk to your GP about any health conditions and specific exercise recommendations for you. Personally, I like to exercise outside, and being out in nature also supports optimal mental health.
• Practice gratitude. I start my day and end my day by expressing gratitude. This is a powerful practice that can shift your perspective from lack to abundance.
• Pay attention to your surroundings and environment. If possible, have windows where you work. Try to bring the outdoors in with plants, photographs of nature, and uplifting colours.
• Surround yourself with uplifting people and friends that inspire and support you. Find new ways to connect in the current times.
• Nutrition is key for optimal mental health. Gut health impacts mental health. Limiting inflammatory foods and increasing plant-based foods is a great place to start.
• Pay attention to your inner dialogue and your self-talk. Journaling, mindfulness, and counselling are some examples of how you can work to break free of limiting beliefs and develop self-love.
• Make healthy sleep a priority.

Kristel Bauer is the author of our new Personal Wellbeing course. Click the button below to access the demo. Click New user? Register. Then create a user ID and add your email address.