5 Ways to Take Control!

Earlier this week, I gave an online seminar to 100 people all connecting together over one thing.  We all connected over how we are feeling about Covid-19 and how it is impacting our personal and professional life. 

The common responses were, scary, emotional, uncertain, fear, sad, guilty, overwhelming, inconvenient, stressful, anxiety, anxious, frustrated, along with many more words.

If someone would have told us a year ago, this would be our reality, I doubt we could ever imagine that this could happen.  These uncertain times are impacting our sense of vulnerability and causing many to question what will happen next.

These uncertain times are creating an overload of emotional responses and elevated stress levels.  This continued daily excess of reactions can take its toll on our bodies, minds and health.  When we are in constant stress, our bodies are producing an overload of cortisol.  Too much of anything is not a good thing, and this is one stress hormone you don’t want to have excess of. 

Chronic elevated cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, increased blood sugar levels, digestive issues, heart disease, weakened immune system, and so much more.

Everywhere we look, media, social media, friends, work, family, everyone is talking about Covid-19.   In fact, the Covid-19 topic has kicked the weather topic to the curb.

These are uncertain times and there is little control as people around the world work to get control of this pandemic. 

While the medical teams are working to harness the Covid-19 virus, it is important that we as leaders of ourselves and others take control of what we can control. 

There are small things we can implement to ease our stress and give us a sense of control.

5 Ways to take control and reduce stress for yourself and others

1.  Be intentional to find things that calm you down and help relax you.  If you are working with someone that is dealing with high emotions, ask them what they like to do when they try to relax. 

Write down 3 things you like to do to relax.  Even just by thinking about the things you like to do, starts to help your brain switch from high stress to intentional relaxing.

2.  Get outside and get back into nature.  Twenty-minute nature experience is enough to significantly reduce cortisol levels. But if you spent a little more time immersed in a nature experience, 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking, cortisol levels drops even more.

3.  Break the cycle.  Put down the smart phone and walk away (at least for a little while).  Studies are show an association between our smart phones and rising stress and anxiety.  Next time you go for a walk, leave the phone at home.

4.  Practice gratitude every day.  By focusing on things you are grateful for helps move your thinking to positive.  When this happens, studies show your stress reduces.

5.  Try chewing on a stick of gum, it can help to reduce your stress. Researchers say gum chewing reduces the effects of stress on the brain.

We can’t control what is happening around us at this point in time, but we can control how we react to it and how we choose to live in it. Take measures to reduce your stress and live your life.

Remember, this is a temporary situation and we will get through it!