After all the exhaustion of the holidays and the general blah feeling winter weather can have on us, I thought it was a good time to discuss the big S word. STRESS! Stress has many negative effects on your body and mind. It can cause you to over or under eat, struggle to get to sleep and stay asleep as well as show up on your face in the form of acne, fine lines and dull skin. Rather than being caused by age, those lines and wrinkles that are starting to appear could be caused by stress that needs to stop.
Instead of letting stress get you down, here are some of the things you can do to reduce stress and keep your body and mind young.
Focus on Organization
As my husband likes to say, “Work smarter, not harder.” When you’re juggling work, your family, your friends and other commitments, being more organized can go a long way.Being organized on a daily basis involves using diaries, planners, reminders – whatever it takes for you to keep track of what needs to be done and when. Spend time each morning reminding yourself of everything you’ve got ahead of you, so that you can plan your day accordingly and involve the stress of having to rush from one thing to another. Personally I use a paper calendar and electronic reminders of commitments throughout the week. Being organized can help you to use your time more efficiently so you don’t feel so pressed for time and that means LESS STRESS!
Consider a Change of Career
A stressful career isn’t always worth the salary or the hassle. Once you start a family, you might find that you’re simply not interested in experiencing the high-level stress that you were used to before. Your
priorities have changed. Cutting back on your hours or looking for a new job can help you regain the balance in your work life that will put an end to unnecessary workplace stress. It’s possible to change careers at any time in your life, so why not look at becoming a DNP family nurse practitioner, teacher, therapist or another career that has family-friendly aspects and will allow you to manage your life with reduced stress. You might need to go back to education to make this possible, but it will be worth it for the sake of your health and happiness.
Make Some Time for Yourself
All too often we end up putting ourselves last. Why?! It shouldn’t be this way. We are bound to get worn down and stressed out if we don’t make time for ourselves to relax. If you’re always darting from one place to another, it’s soon going to take its toll. How often do you really get some time to yourself to relax?Make time for ‘me time’ and enjoy being yourself instead of the work you or mom you 24/7. All of that tension will soon disappear, which will be sure to show on your face. There are many ways to enjoy time to yourself, whether it’s enjoying a movie or experimenting with THC products to help you relax (vaping is the fastest way to consume THC). Whatever you enjoy, make sure to give yourself time each day to enjoy it.
Boost Your Skincare Routine
Despite your best efforts to reduce stress, you might need a little help to combat those signs of aging that are already starting to appear from temporary stress in your life. Think of your daily skincare routine as a treat, and invest in products that will reduce those fine lines and help your skin to glow again. Cleanse, tone and moisturize twice a day to see the benefits, and try some overnight treatments that work to repair
your skin while you sleep. I mentioned it in my last Life Lately post, but I’ve been loving this overnight mask a couple of nights a week and my skin has, too! A new skincare routine or product can work wonders and will keep your skin looking fresh and luminous.
Tackling stress involves identifying the cause and doing what you can to stop it. Whether you need to take more time for yourself, change your career or make some lifestyle changes, it’s important that you do it. As the saying goes, ‘don’t worry, be happy,’ and that will soon reflect in your skin, and your outlook too.
