101 Ways to Hack a Super Stressful Day

Everyone has a stressful day now and then, and knowing how to handle it when it comes around can be essential to making sure you get through it with sanity intact. Balancing online classes, work, family and friends can be hard, but you can do it with a little hard work and planning. Here are some simple tips to help you hack the most stressful of your days so you can get through with flying colors.

Starting Out

Consider these tips to make sure you start out your busy day right.

1. Create a plan of attack. Knowing how you’re going to get to everything you have to get done can go a long way to helping you feel like you can accomplish it all.
2. Keep focused. Letting yourself become distracted will just make your day harder. Stay focused on what you need to get done.
3. Start early. Getting up earlier than usual can give you a jump start on getting things done.
4. Have breakfast. Don’t try to make it through your day without some fuel to start you out. Having a good, hearty breakfast can make your whole day run more smoothly.
5. Take a deep breath. There’s no sense in getting overwhelmed when you’ve got a stressful day ahead. Take a big, deep breath and take it as it comes.
6. Start out well-rested. When you know you’ve got a stressful day or week ahead, it’s essential that you get to bed early and get a good night’s sleep so you’ll be rested for whatever you have to do.
7. Be positive. If you start your day off thinking it’s going to be horrible, it likely will be. Try to look on the positive side of things instead. It might just change your whole day.
8. Recite a mantra. Telling yourself you will make it through the day or chanting a mantra that will help you gain patience can help you when your day seems overwhelming.
9. Be realistic. Part of having a stressful day could be your own doing. Make sure you’re being realistic about what you can physically accomplish in one day.
10. Have confidence. Once you’ve established what you can do, have confidence in yourself that you’ll be able to do it.
11. Don’t waste energy. Since you’ve already got so much to do, don’t waste energy on trying to accomplish things you don’t really need to do.
12. Use a small task to get you started. If you’re having trouble getting going, take on some of your smaller tasks to get the ball rolling.

At Work

These hacks will have you dealing much better with stress at work.

13. Get the big things out of the way. Once you get to work, try to get some of the bigger, more daunting tasks out of the way. You’ll be amazed how getting the big stuff out of the way makes your day seem a whole lot less stressful.
14. Follow a schedule. Knowing when, how and with whom you need to get things done can keep you on track and help you feel like you’re getting things done.
15. Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed. If you feel like things are too much to handle, take a break and regroup. Never work to your breaking point–it’s not good for you or your work.
16. Give yourself credit. Even if you only get a few things done in a day, it’s important to acknowledge your work to yourself.
17. Use your momentum. Once you’ve gotten into the groove of getting things done, stick to it. Don’t take breaks until you really need them or let others distract you.
18. Take break in between different kinds of tasks. You can help clear your head between different types of tasks by taking a quick snack or bathroom break.
19. Stop multitasking. Multitasking might seem more efficient, but really focusing on one thing at a time is a better way to do more things better.
20. Create priorities. There’s only so much time in a day, so make sure what you’re getting done is the stuff that really matters.
21. Learn to say no. Just because someone asks you to do something doesn’t mean you have to. Don’t take on extra tasks when you’re already stressed to the max.
22. Eliminate things that you don’t have to do. If there are tasks at work that could really wait until tomorrow, let them.
23. Focus on time management. Feeling stressed or super busy can be helped by really concentrating on managing your time well. Keep a calendar or a schedule on hand at all times.
24. Remember that work isn’t everything. Work may take up a lot of your time but it isn’t the only thing in your life worth doing. Remembering that could help you let go some of the little stressors at work.
25. Leave your work at work. Once you’re done at work, leave it there. Bringing it home, or the stress that comes with it, won’t do you any favors.
26. Ask for help. There is no reason not to ask for help if you really need it. Lean on your coworkers if you’re feeling completely overwhelmed.

Emotional

Make sure you keep your sanity while dealing with stress by minding these tips.

27. Express your feelings about the situation. Bottling up your feelings can sometimes make you feel even more stressed. Find a way to let them out so you don’t save stress for later.
28. Find a compromise. Whether it’s with people or work in your life, compromises sometimes need to be made to keep you from going crazy with stress.
29. Accept less than perfect. Alleviating your stress can sometimes mean changing your standards. Realize that sometimes good is good enough.
30. Be assertive about your needs. If no one knows what you need, they can’t help you out. Make sure those in your life are aware of what you need to lessen your stress.
31. Avoid people who add to your stress. Everyone knows coworkers, friends or family members who just make life a little bit harder. If you already have a hard day ahead, avoid these people in a nice way.
32. Look at the big picture. How much is this one day really going to mean in the scope of this year, this month or your life? Keep that in mind as the day goes on.
33. Focus on the positive. Every bad day has its good points. Focus on good things that happen rather than ruminating on the bad.
34. Reframe the situation. A stressful day might be hard, but if you look at it as a good thing rather than a bad, it can change your emotional reaction to it.
35. Realize you can’t control everything. Not everything in life is within your control, nor does it need to be. Let some things slide.
36. Let yourself cry if you need to. Sometimes you just need to let it all out. Take a break to yourself and have a cry if you need to. Sometimes that’s all you need to feel better about everything.
37. Don’t take stress out on others. Your bad day doesn’t have to be anybody else’s. Don’t take out your stress on others–it’ll only make you feel worse.
38. Smile. Sometimes your mental state can be changed just by putting a smile on your face.
39. Slow down your speech. Ever notice that you start to talk faster when you feel stressed? Slow down your speech and reduce the stressful feeling in the process.

Health

Make sure your stressful day isn’t taking a toll on your personal health with these tips.

40. Don’t engage in emotional eating. Many people engage in out of control eating of, very often, unhealthy foods when they’re stressed out. This isn’t good for your health and will likely make you feel horrible afterward.
41. Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals when you’re busy might seem like a good idea, but it’s not good for your body or your energy levels throughout the day.
42. Give yourself a massage. You don’t need to head to a masseuse to get a massage. Learn how to do it on your own for a massage anytime, anywhere.
43. Work out. Exercise is a great way to not only get healthy but to burn off your stressful day.
44. Go to bed early. Sometimes all you need after a stressful, busy day is just to go to bed. Indulge yourself.
45. Cut back on caffeine and sugar. Caffeine and sugar might seem like simple solutions to a hectic day, but they can end up giving you highs and lows that exacerbate your stress.
46. Avoid drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. These aren’t a real escape from your stressful day. Deal with it in other, healthier ways.
47. Drink plenty of water. Having enough water in a day can help your energy levels and generally help you feel better.
48. Keep your energy up. Eat small snacks throughout the day to keep your energy levels up and keep you from afternoon drowsiness.
49. Watch your posture. Are you a sloucher? Sitting up straight will help your body and your mind.

At Lunch

Make the most of your lunch at work by trying out these hacks.

50. Take a walk. Taking a walk is a great way to get exercise and get fresh air–both of which can help you feel better and less stressed.
51. Get away from your desk. Don’t stay chained to your desk all day. Even if you only get away for 15 minutes, do it.
52. Eat a healthy, protein-rich lunch. Having a good lunch can be a good way to keep you fueled up to tackle the rest of your day.
53. Do yoga. There are loads of yoga poses you can do at your desk that will help you relax.
54. Think happy thoughts. Sometimes just thinking of something or someone that makes you happy can reduce your stress levels.
55. Have something to anticipate. Having something to look forward to at the end of the day, however small, can make work a whole lot easier.
56. Use your brain for something else. Doing a crossword, a Sudoku or just reading a book can help keep your brain active but doing another kind of task.
57. Stretch out. Stretches help get your blood flowing and get your body feeling good as you can get pretty tense sitting at a desk all day.
58. Run an errand. Getting something done that’s separate from your work is a great break that’s also productive.
59. Take a moment to relax. If your day is incredibly stressful, at least take a short moment to just relax for yourself. Too much stress isn’t a good thing, no matter what you get done.

Managing Stress

Learn how to better manage your stress with this advice.

60. Learn to laugh at the situation. Sometimes all you can do is laugh. Learning to laugh at yourself and a ridiculously stressful situation can help take the pressure off and lighten your mood.
61. Focus on doing something just for you. Most of the things that stress us out are things we are doing for work or for others. Take a moment out to do something just for you instead.
62. Let it all go. Holding onto stress isn’t doing you any favors. Learn to step back from it all and let it flow over you. It’s hard, but worth it in the end.
63. Offer a reward for making it. You can help motivate yourself to get through the day and make all that hard work worth it by giving yourself a reward.
64. Turn off your brain. Sometimes you just need to stop thinking and just give your brain a break.
65. Relinquish control of some things. Not everything in your life needs to be done by you Ask others for help when you need it.
66. Don’t ruminate or overthink. Wallowing in a bad day doesn’t do anyone any good at all. Stop going over the negatives in your head and think about positive things instead.
67. Act happy. Acting happy may be all you need to start making yourself actually feel happy.
68. Live in the moment. Not everything you do in life will be fun but it is your life. Live every moment of it in the present.

Relaxation

When the work day is over, try out these ideas to help you relax.

69. Meditate. Focus your energy on meditation instead of on what a rotten day you’ve had. Try it at the end of the day or partway through if you’re feeling super stressed.
70. Take a bath. Bubbles, warm water and a relaxing atmosphere can help relieve your stress at day’s end.
71. Listen to soothing music. Unless you’re the type who finds heavy metal relaxing, try to put on soothing music to calm your mood.
72. Try aromatherapy. Who knew scents could have such a big impact on your mood? Fill your home with ones you love to help you kick back and relax.
73. Change clothes. Getting out of your work clothes can go a long way towards helping you decompress.
74. Kick back in a comfy chair. Use your favorite comfy chair as a refuge at the end of a long day.
75. Get in touch with nature. Going for a walk and getting some fresh air will do wonders for your stress level.
76. Have a warm drink. Tea or hot chocolate can make you feel all warm and cozy inside and reverse your bad mood.
77. Make relaxation a priority. Don’t put off relaxing when you get home because you have tasks to do. Let the unimportant stuff fall by the wayside and take a night off.
78. Do breathing exercises. Concentrating on your breathing is an excellent way to slow down and get your emotions and day under control.
79. Just veg out. When you get home from work, don’t even try to get other things done. Laundry, chores and even cooking dinner aren’t as important as relaxing. Turn off your brain and lie around.
80. Change your environment. Make sure you’re not just going from one stressful environment to another. Change light, space and other elements so you feel comfy and relaxed.

Support

There’s no reason you have to deal with a stressful day alone. Here are some hacks for relaxing with friends.

81. Go out with friends. A night out with friends is a great way to keep your mind off all the stressors at work or in other areas of your life.
82. Watch your favorite movie. Whether it’s a romance or a comedy, watching a movie you love can help make your day.
83. Laugh. Finding a way to laugh with friends, or even on your own, can turn around your whole mood.
84. Play with your pets. Pets love us no matter how stressful our day was. Take a walk with your dog, snuggle with a cat or play with your other animals to feel better fast.
85. Get a massage. Professionals and willing friends alike can help you to relieve muscle tension.
86. Vent. Sometimes it can just help to talk to a friend or family member about your stressful day and let it all out.
87. Get affectionate. Getting intimate with a spouse or significant other can help you forget all about that bad day.
88. Hang out with someone positive. Know someone who is upbeat to a fault? Call them up. Their mood can lift yours.
89. Do something nice for someone else. Making someone else’s day can help make yours as well.

Alone

If you just feel like being alone, here are some ways you can deal with stress on your own.

90. Read a book. Escape into another world through literature by reading a book.
91. Indulge in a treat. Have a small treat to cap off your day. You’ve earned it.
92. Write in a journal. Get your feelings about your day in your own personal journal.
93. Enjoy a hobby. Doing something that you love is a great way to end a stressful day.
94. Dance or be silly. Whether by yourself, with a friend or with your children, giving yourself a chance to really relax and be silly is amazing way to combat stress.
95. Yell. Just not at someone. Letting all that frustration out vocally can help you let it go and feel more relaxed.
96. Clean the house. For some people, cleaning house is a meditative activity that lets them chill out for a bit. Why? Because many tasks are active without requiring much thought.
97. Cook. If you love to cook, prepare yourself a wonderful meal for dinner.
98. Embrace your spiritual side. Praying, meditating or just embracing your spiritual side can be a great way to unwind.
99. Do something new. Why not try something new to unwind? You might love it, or at the very least you can laugh at the experience.
100. Sing a song. Singing something that is upbeat or that you love can put you in a better mood.
101. Do some gardening. Digging your hands in the dirt and helping your plants to grow can truly help you unwind.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 6:53 pm and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.